Circus
by superfufu
Summary: It started with a simple challenge for pride. Now Joey's in for a wild ride with five men...in the sheets. Care to unbuckle? 5 of 6
1. First There Were Two

**CIRCUS **

**First there were two**

_Whoa. _

The house was utterly big and amazing as seen from his hazel eyes. He was in the middle of his marveling when a deep, misty voice called out to him.

"Close your mouth, Joey."

He was tall. Even taller than Joey, with long deep amethyst hair pulled up in a high ponytail that almost failed to keep it neat. He looked menacing with his pair of bright bottle-green eyes, glassy and somewhat luminous. And there was this black tattoo on his face that made him look rather untouchable, adding to his dark mystique.

"Can I ask you something?" The blonde guy dared speak beyond warning as he trotted behind the other man, entering the interior of the house.

"Speak." He ordered, not looking towards Joey.

"Do you live alone here, Duke?"

"I am amazed of your daring to speak my name." Duke uttered, with his same deep, misty voice, but with a tinge of amusement. "Yes, indeed, I do."

"Whoa."

The taller man smirked in response to the blonde's reaction. They continued to maze inside and up the stairs.

"So…I'm supposed to follow you wherever you go?"

"That's what dogs do, isn't it?"

"Tch."

--

_"You lose again."_

_"You tricked me!!"_

_The tall man with bright bottle-green eyes just smirked as he watched Joey fume and rant about losing again. No one could blame him. He was with the rules._

_"Ok, so, you won, so what?!" The blonde retorted again, trying to fake the humiliating stares of the people around them._

_"So what?" Duke smiled arrogantly, mocking the other boy and provoking him to bare more of his stupidity to the world._

_Joey gnashed at his teeth, seething. "Fine. Duke Devlin, I challenge you to a duel!"_

_"Huh?"_

_"Let us settle this once and for all!"_

_"Hmm…" The taller man pretended to think, his fingers folded beneath his chin. "Very well, Joey Wheeler, I shall oblige you."_

_"Haha! Now I could—"_

_"On one condition."_

_"Huh?" Joey's blue eyes were bewildered for a second, then turned serious again. "And what's that?"_

_Duke smirked, a truly vile glint in his eyes that erected the hairs at the back of Joey's neck. "If you lose…_again_…you shall agree to do whatever I want you to do. _For a week_."_

_"What?!" The blonde's tone was not of exasperation but of confusion. Duke words don't seem to sink in._

_"Plain and simple. You will be _my dog_ for a week."_

_-- _

They paused in front of a beautifully carved oak door. Duke reached for the bronze handle and opened it to a large bedroom. He gestured that the other man get in, and that is what Joey did. The blonde stood dumbfounded for a minute, not exactly knowing how to react. All the walls were painted black, with white and silver abstract streaks. Even the floor was tiled a fine, smooth ebony.

"Whoa."

The tall man pulled the curtains apart, and the amber rays of the dying day poured through the glass wall and inside. The light made the silver streaks shine.

"Take off that suit. I hate it."

And Joey obeyed absentmindedly, pulling down the pup suit and laying it on the mattress, which was blanketed by dark bedclothes. It was when he saw it that he finally stirred.

"Is this my room?" He said, his eyes wide with childlike hope.

"Unfortunately no."

"Then where—"

"It's ours."

"_What?_" Seems that his russet eyes won't go any bigger than it was right then.

"Unless you want to sleep outside." Duke smirked. "It's a pup thing, is it not?"

--

_"You lose. Again."_

_Joey could not look at those menacing bottle-green eyes. Yes, indeed, he lost._

_One of the girls amongst Duke's side emerged with what seems like a puppy-plushie dress, and handed it to Joey. The blonde took it unwillingly, his word remaining straight and unbroken though his pride was slowly crumbling inside. _

_"What are you waiting for? Put it on." _

_And so he did, more of his dignity fading away in the count. Bright bottle-green eyes, illuminating in triumph and arrogance, watched intently as the blonde, a while ago so self-righteous and smug, slowly fall unto his knees before him._

_Fists clenched into ominous balls, glaring mauve eyes glazed with anger and loathing as he watched the scene before him, together with everybody else. _

_Duke laughed with all his pomposity and haughtiness, crushing Joey's being with it. _

_Tears fell from hazel eyes and onto the ground._

_"Stop this!!" _

--

_Whoa._

The tall man emerged from the bathroom, a towel wrapped around his waist. Long, dripping velvet-amethyst hair flowed down his bare back and torso like delicate waterfalls. Moist flawless taupe skin shimmered under the subtle lighting, and his eyes glowed in its usual contrast to it.

Joey did his best to fight the urge to stare. He forced his eyes to wander back to the television screen, and stay there.

Duke's dark lips curved into a slight smile, seeing Joey settled on one side of the wide bed, his legs on top of the other, both arms crossed behind his head, buried into the pillow. "So…you're planning on staying there for a week, I assume?"

"Yeah, just like a lazy dog." The blonde replied sarcastically, his eyes still pasted on the screen.

"You should be on the floor, then."

"_What?!_"

Joey could just stare, dumbfounded, at Duke as he let out a small laugh of amusement. "But I can be more considerate." He said, a mild chuckle still playing at his voice.

Oh yeah. The great Duke Devlin laughed.

--

_"What's the matter, Yugi? Can't the King of Duelists handle anything on his way?" Duke mocked, one eyebrow raised._

_Droplets of sweat continued to form on Yugi's forehead and trickle down the side of his anxious face. The tension on it was obvious as he glanced down his cards once again. He picked up his dices and threw them to the board. His expression worsened._

_Duke just smirked on the opposite post._

_Yugi picked a card and as he was about to place it on the field, the opponent mocked him once more._

_"One wrong move, Yugi, and you're dead." Dead, indeed, he was. His name as King of Duelists and his future in the world of dueling was at stake, afterall._

_Yugi could not be discouraged. Finally, he placed his move._

_"You are _so_ dead." Duke smirked, his eyes glowing in anticipation and confidence. Mauve eyes widened. Is there really no way to win? Oh no._

_"Stop this!!"_

_All eyes turned toward the boy who was then wearing a puppy-plushie suit on the high side of the court._

_"Joey…"_

_"I…I want you to stop this right now. I'll go." _

_"What?? Joey, you can't do this!!" Yugi shouted nervously._

_"No, Yugi. There's so much at stake. If you lose—"_

_"I won't lose!!"_

_But Joey's decision was final. "Very well, Duke. I shall…I shall be your slave for a week." _

---

_Whoa._

The dining room smelled like a happy day. Dinner surely smelled good.

"You cook?"

"Obviously yes. But only less than half the time." Duke replied from the inside of the kitchen, as Joey was ordered to wait on the dining table.

Joey was puzzled for a moment but he shrugged the thought, only to be replaced with the thought of dinner.

_Whoa._

Duke emerged from the kitchen bend, wearing an apron over his bare torso and pants, holding two plates in his mitten hands, his ebony hair flowing on his shoulder.

The world must be ending.

---

Steak.

Joey busied himself with dinner, eating like…a dog. He ate, and ate, and coughed. He choked some more as he fumbled for his glass. Duke poured his drink and the blonde gulped it all the way gratefully. He, then, glanced at the man opposite him, and was flushed to see bottle-green eyes smiling at him with sincere amusement. The blonde laughed stupidly. And Duke laughed with him.

Oh, the world is surely nearing its end.

---

Joey's amazement of Duke was never-ending. Until now, as he settled beside him as they watched TV. He couldn't help but be amused with the soft expression on the man's face, and how he delicately picked on the strawberries from the bowl beside him and ate them, and everything his russet eyes saw Duke do for that matter. He was so unlike the man he expected him to be.

Somehow Duke noticed Joey staring at him. "Huh?"

Joey laughed stupidly. He reminded himself that it was rude to stare. "Nothing."

But even as he kept forcing himself to pay attention to anything else, his eyes kept on wandering back to the other man, his curiosity unending.

Duke chuckled, like he had just realized something. "You want some?"

There was one thing Joey never noticed. Naiveté. Duke always knew what he was doing. Like everything was planned, like he could read people's minds. He was all too knowing.

And Joey was the total opposite. "Sure."

The taller man turned to his side opposite the blonde where the bowl of strawberries and cream were. "I always liked sweets." He said, as he turned back facing Joey. The amusement returned to the blonde once and again.

Duke got the remote and turned off the TV, placing it beside the bowl. He then leaned towards Joey's direction on his elbow, a strawberry in his other hand. Joey expected the man to hand it to him, but the direction of Duke's hand was going for something higher. His mouth.

The blonde opened up, quite unconsciously, Duke putting half of the thing inside just as so his two fingers are touching the sides of Joey's lower lip. Joey closed his mouth, biting gently on the fruit. Sapphire eyes stayed locked with bottle green ones as Duke put the rest in his own mouth, and sucked on both fingers gently. Joey's light skin burned slightly on the cheeks.

"Want some more?" He said, his bright, half-opened bottle-green eyes gleaming behind long, thick lashes with a glow that Joey has never seen before.

Joey could not speak. And silence could only mean agreement.

Duke came back with another one, and started it out like the first with Joey eating half of it, but this time the blonde also ate the other half, Duke's fingers plunging in his mouth, and afterwards sucked on them.

Duke traced his moist fingers from Joey's lower lip down to his chin, his neck and settled on the blonde's collar. Russet on bottle green. A dark, delicate eyebrow rose. Long, graceful fingers started undoing Joey's buttons, scooping up on his back to slide it off his shoulders and off his body, and laying him down again.

"Who am I, Joey?" The taller man asked, as he slid another half of fruit from Joey's mouth down to his neck, his shoulders, his chest and to his abdomen. He then put it in his own mouth and ate it. He then proceeded to licking and sucking on the skin he had sweetened, working from bottom to top, Joey melting beneath his lips. He stopped on Joey's chin, bottle green boring into hazel ones, lips seconds apart.

"You are my master. I am your slave." Joey whispered in reply, breathing into the other man's lips.

The blonde's lids fluttered close as the other man kissed him on the lips, melted by the brand-new feeling of heat he was drowning in at the moment. His chin tilted up and down unconsciously.

Duke pulled off. "No, Joey." He whispered. "I am not your master. I am just me. I would not order you to do anything."

Joey smiled. "Ok." He then touched Duke's cheek, his thumb brushing along the black mark there, the other man leaning to the touch.

The taller man licked on Joey's lower lip, and the blonde understood the gesture by opening up. Tongues danced in passionate rhythm, warm breaths teased at each other's skin, hands moved as if memorizing every inch of detail, removing every hindrance to their intimate exploration with much urgency.

A long, slender arm reached out to the bowl at other end of the bed. Joey took in two of Duke's cream-covered fingers in his mouth willingly. His fingers dug into the taller man's back as those two same moist fingers entered him, widening him.

Joey's back arched against Duke and his arms locked tightly around his neck as the pain of being entered spread through his body, accompanied by tears and a faint scream.

"I'm sorry, Joey." Duke whispered on the blonde's ear as he filled him completely, quick and slow at the same time.

The blonde was panting heavily, all of his muscles still tensed. He was still stifling the moans of pain that are trying to escape his throat, his face buried into the long ebony strands flowing down Duke's shoulder.

"Shh…just try to relax…this will feel good, I promise…" The deep, misty words trailed away as Duke started to move, thrusting into Joey's hot tightness, the blonde's arms still tightly locked around him, holding on for dear life. The painful sensation started melting away from the raw heat, quickly turning to pulsating pleasure that was totally new to him, but so overwhelmingly powerful. Not long after, they were already moving and breathing in unison to each other as their lips were restlessly, aimlessly roaming on burning skin.

Joey was first to release his elation, unable to hold on much longer. Duke's teeth sank unto the curve of the other man's shoulder, muffling a scream as he came not long afterwards, filling Joey with ecstasy that the boy couldn't have dreamt of.

The taller man looked at the blonde's face. Joey's eyes were closed and his face was of exhaustion. He must've sensed it so he opened his eyes. Bottle green locked on russet once more as Duke panted heavily on top of Joey, their skin slick with sweat in contact. Their lips met one last time before Duke rolled over to Joey's side. There was a smile painted on Duke's lips, contentment and calmness etched on his face as his eyes fluttered close to slumber.

---

Joey's mouth stretched into a wide yawn as he lazily opened his eyes. The man that used to occupy the space beside him was no longer there. Well, so much for a sweet good morning greeting.

--

_Joey was devoid of sleep that night despite his tiredness. Thoughts kept wandering aimlessly in his head, and it was already maddening him. He just met this man yesterday afterall, and now, he's lying on the man's bed beside him, wearing no clothes at all—_

_Argh, he thought. Not that he regretted it, Duke's more than a great guy, or maybe he just didn't know he regretted it, but what about the world if they knew? More than crazy, it was scary for him and he doesn't know what to do. Ok so his sexual orientation was admittedly questionable, but what the heck. Not in a million years he dreamt of actually kissing, moreover sleeping with a guy. What if Serenity knew? What if Yugi, Tea, or the whole school knew? What if it happens—_

_His thoughts were suddenly interrupted as strong, slender arms locked tightly around him, pressing him unto the warmth of Duke's body. His face settled on the curve of the other man's shoulder, a hand settled at the back of his neck._

_"I'm sorry, Joey…did I make you do anything you didn't want to?" The deep, misty voice whispered._

_"…Duke…"_

_"Go tomorrow if you want."_

_Joey pulled off and looked at Duke's face. He again touched the side of the man's face, his thumb tracing at the black mark there. He tucked a stray lock of hair behind Duke's ear. "It's for one week. I gave my word."_

_"It's not about that at all." There was uneasy guilt that dimmed his usually bright eyes._

_The blonde could not say anything. He didn't even know what he really wanted or wanted not to do._

_"Do you want to go?"_

_Joey did not speak anymore, he just returned to where he got up from, deep within the warmth and sincerity of this man beside him, and he felt the same arms encircle him again. Duke was so unbelievably nice to him it confused him more._

_--_

_I'm not going_, he thought as he looked outside the glass wall. There's more to you than everybody knows of. Maybe I just want to know who you are. And that thought just seemed to arouse a whole new warm feeling in him, the almost familiar fragrance of Duke's hair dancing in the air he breathed. He smiled. He would go downstairs now and tell Duke he's not going anywhere, and maybe give him a nice 'good morning'.

So he got up, pulled up some clothes and hurried downstairs.

_'What the—'_

**A/N: **How's that for warm-up? Hehe, I'm not even starting yet writing the first part of a multi-part always suck…sigh so you guys just hang on, there'd be more (woohoo, sooo much more) on the next chapters.


	2. And Then There Were Three

_**...And then there were three**  
_

Morning.  
  
Duke sighed as he prepared breakfast.  
  
Even as he placed the two plates on the table, he can't pay much attention. He just stood there, lost in oblivion as he stared blankly on their ceramic surface.  
  
_Joey is going.  
  
He IS going._  
  
He knew he did something wrong. Something very wrong. He slept with Joey last night... no, it was not a dream, and the guilt he felt after was not part of his imagination, either. He had manipulated simple, clueless, predictable minds into his bidding, which was no more than a thing to pass his time. He took someone just to pass his time. Now Joey's going. Going away from him. He hates him now. And he was feeling so damn bad about it.  
  
He thought he could do it and look back without any feeling. He thought he was that...heartless.  
  
_Ding, dong._  
  
The doorbell pierced the silence, pulling him back to reality. He turned to the door's direction, and space caught up with him again as he just stared into nothing. It took him a while before the thought of opening the door sank in. He walked, unnecessarily slow, towards the house's entrance.  
  
Next thing he knew, he was pressed deep into the wall, deep auburn eyes boring into his.  
  
"Miss me?"  
  
Duke smiled. No, not heartless. Of course not.  
  
"Yeah."  
  
Thoughts ran from his mind as fast as they can as he was hauled upwards, strong arms clamped around his thighs. He locked his legs and arms around the other man's waist and neck in reciprocation, his body squeezed in between the other's body and the wall.  
  
And without any more words, the man seized his lips in hungry urgency, and Duke willingly obliged by opening his mouth and putting his tongue out. In a matter of split seconds they were already sharing the passion of a wet, furiously hot liplock. Duke's hands forged in the man's hair, hands roaming restlessly by his back, his robe hanging loosely on the small of his shoulders, barely intact to cover enough of his body.  
  
Footfalls.  
  
Silence.  
  
Footfalls.  
  
"I see we've got company."  
  
---  
  
_Oh. My. Dear. God._  
  
Russet eyes stared as big as saucers on the dark mattress, dumbfounded.  
  
_What in the good world was that??_  
  
Joey shook his head, trying to shake off the remnants of sleep, somehow hoping that a dream was enough to explain what he saw. But no, he was already awake. Awake enough. He shook his head, in disbelief this time. Oh man, I'm too young for this...  
  
_What the hell was Duke doing with—_  
  
Bang.  
  
Joey's attention was abruptly shifted to the door that had just opened.  
  
"Well, well, well. If it isn't the great Joey Wheeler. This is a surprise."  
  
"Same here..."  
  
The man was tall, a little below six feet, with sharp auburn eyes and unruly white hair flowing to his back.  
  
"...Bakura."  
  
---  
  
"I'm hungry." Bakura said as he opened the refrigerator door. He picked up one of the label-less bottles and rolled it in his palm as if examining it.  
  
"Don't go eating, you'll ruin your appetite. Lunch will be ready soon." Duke replied, both hands busy with lunch.  
  
"Nah. You're underestimating my appetite again." The whitehead was now opening the jar's cover, taking a sniff of what's inside. "Mm. Peanut butter." He said, plunging two fingers in the thick liquid inside and putting it in his mouth.  
  
Duke smirked as he rolled his eyes. It was, as always, stupidity to talk to his Baku-chan against something the man wanted to do. Especially when it's about food. His head was always too damn hard. "Stupid—aah!"  
  
"Huh?" Ryou's attention turned towards the other man.  
  
"Damn knife." The man said angrily, holding his bleeding finger.  
  
"Can't believe you cut yourself again, stupid." Bakura approached Duke, got his bleeding finger and sucked on it. "...And I can't believe even your blood tastes sweet." He said, his eyebrow raised, a lopsided grin on his face.  
  
In the not-so-distant living room, Joey forced himself to pay attention to the TV, blushing as he tried to ignore the heat-emanating sounds he was hearing from the kitchen.  
  
---  
  
"RAAAAAAAH!!"  
  
Bakura let out a loud, frustrated growl once and again. He had been waiting forever for lunch and he was hungry. So awfully hungry. "Isn't it done yet?!" He barked as he shifted his position on the couch, the TV obviously, completely, ignored.  
  
Joey could just glance at him from the opposite side, half-scared and half- annoyed. Bakura had no patience at all, and he made sure everybody knew that, with that amazingly canine-like growl of his and that I'm-gonna-eat- you-if-you-don't-feed-me look on his face.  
  
Heads turned as a lean figure emerged from the kitchen's direction. There was an apologetic smile on his face. "Aw, Baku...I'm sorry." Duke said, his voice playful. "You delayed it anyway."  
  
The whitehead rolled his eyes and averted his attention on the TV screen, his arms folded about his chest, a hard expression on his face. Nobody broke the silence for some frozen, forgotten seconds. "Nee, I'm really hungry." Bakura whined in defeat.  
  
Duke walked to the back of the couch where Bakura was slouching, bending so that he could give a peck at the man's cheek. "You could borrow him while you wait for lunch if you want." He whispered, a mischievous glint in his eyes. Bakura's fangs bared on the corner of his toothy grin, his eyes turning to the boy across him.  
  
The unknowing blonde stared at the two with one eyebrow incredulously raised. He swore he saw something in that look on Duke's eyes as the man glanced at him before heading back to the kitchen. "What's your problem?" He said, irritated with Bakura's smile.  
  
Dark auburn eyes narrowed evilly, still not moving away from hazel ones.  
  
Ok so, this was too much aggravation. "What IS your problem??"  
  
Next thing he knew, there was a loud thud, and he was sprawled on the floor, each hand pinned into the floor beside his head. Apparently, Bakura was on fours on top of him, his hands locked in Ryou's firm, solid grip.  
  
No mercy.  
  
What the—  
  
"What are you doing??" Joey bellowed in disbelief, trying to free his hands.  
  
"I'm hungry." The other man fussed naughtily.  
  
"So what?? Get off me!!"  
  
"Can I eat you?"  
  
Definitely way too much aggravation.  
  
"DUKE!! GET HIM OFF!!" He shouted, eyes squinted in helpless, panicked desperation, struggling madly beneath Bakura but to no avail. An amused laugh echoed back from the kitchen in response.  
  
"Argh! Stop it!!" Joey screamed, as he felt teeth nibbling harshly against the skin of his throat. "No, you can't eat me!! I'm not food!!"  
  
"You taste good though." The man replied as he was biting his way through the buttons of Joey's shirt, ripping the fabric and teasing Joey's chest with his teeth, lips and tongue hungrily.  
  
_Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaa--_  
  
"Food's ready."  
  
And with that, the man got up almost immediately from atop Joey and hurried to the dining area, much to Joey's ease. The blonde got up, tried to fix himself up, or at least he tried, and headed to where the other two men were.  
  
Duke was settled in the middle of the two others, Bakura and Joey face-to- face on the opposite sides of the table. The black-haired man tried to brush a stray fringe of blonde hair sticking up on Joey's head.  
  
"Grace—"Joey and Duke both uttered simultaneously, where Bakura's voice echoed on top before hurriedly getting busy with his lunch, cutting the announcement off. The two other men just sighed. He was hungry.  
  
The fork sank unto the steak with a barbaric thrust of Bakura's hand, and he snatched it up, half of the meat disappearing beneath his sharp teeth in one swift movement, the sauce trickling sloppily down the sides of his mouth. The blonde guy blushed as Duke cupped Bakura's chin and tried to clean it with his own mouth. "Ryou, where are your manners?" He teased, smiling.  
  
Joey, trying to divert his attention, noticed the food, the food and not actually eating the food for once. Bakura's already eaten away half his appetite. His eyes shifted from plate to plate and back.  
  
Duke noticed the blonde's curiosity. "It's not cooked."  
  
"Eh?" The blonde remarked stupidly.  
  
"He likes his steak raw."  
  
Ok, Bakura's eaten away all of his appetite, and more.  
  
Ah, that's why Duke said he only cooks less than half the time, Joey figured, still quite disgusted. Hungry despite himself, he just forced himself to eat, trying to ignore the sloppy gluttony (personified) eating right in front of him.  
  
---  
  
"So I'm supposed to sleep on the floor now, right?" Joey uttered sarcastically. It was bedtime and yeah, Duke and Bakura apparently aren't in the mood for any sleep yet. How in the good world can he even try to sleep with these two in the same room?  
  
Bakura and Duke looked at each other. And smiled.  
  
"You could, if you want to." The raven-haired man said, his eyes the same bottle-green eyes Joey oh-so-familiarly remembered from the night before. Shivers came running down his spine.  
  
"Trust me, _you wouldn't want to._" The blonde was so allured with Duke's almost hypnotic look that he didn't realize the other man was already behind him, breathing the words unto the side of his neck.  
  
Joey was lost in the moment's heat almost instantly. Pale, strong hands wormed into the inside of his shirt, caressing the soft flesh there. Bakura's hands were cold against his heating skin. He can't help but lean his head against the curve of the whitehead's neck and shoulder as the lightning sensations were accompanied by tempting strokes on his neck, his arms settled upon the man's own pale ones.  
  
The teasing was addictively effective. The way those hands moved beneath his shirt, the way those lips, teeth and tongue graced his skin...he couldn't quite explain it but he can't seem to get enough of those soft, gentle caresses. He couldn't quite explain why either, but as if it mattered.  
  
Duke let out an amused chuckle as he eased himself unto the bed, his bottle- green eyes watching every move. "I know how damn good that is." He said as he inhaled sharply, though the man he's speaking to probably wasn't sane enough to understand, to even hear what he said.  
  
Bakura stopped for a moment and looked meaningfully over Joey's shoulder. "Jealous already?"  
  
"Shut up. You know I am." He replied, smiling.  
  
"You spoiled brat. You want all the fun to yourself all the time."  
  
"You owe me, Joey." Duke smiled, glancing at the other man and back to the whitehead. "Get over here. Your teasing him doesn't mean you can tease him by yourself."  
  
"Oh yes I can. You just watch there."  
  
"No I won't, Ryou."  
  
"Yes you will because I said so."  
  
"Then I'm gonna sleep now."  
  
"Fine." Bakura said, defeated but still smiling. "I'll just undo him." Duke was such a spoiled brat. The raven-haired man smiled victoriously, knowing he will always be one with his Baku-chan around.  
  
Joey momentarily shivered as the cool air swept his bare body. Bakura laid him down on the mattress quite unceremoniously, and Duke, already undone, was more than ready to pounce—  
  
"You had him yesterday already. My turn." Ryou mumbled as he slipped from his shirt, revealing the masculine exquisiteness of his toned body.  
  
"You won't let me touch him?"  
  
"Of course you'd get to, baka."  
  
Ryou glanced at Duke as he proceeded in straddling Joey's abdomen. "Just be patient, ok?" Long, pale fingers framed the blonde's face, stretching out to the sides of his neck. The craving that was swelling inside Joey was slowly fueled by the feathery touches of Ryou's lips on his forehead, the sides of his face, the bridge of his nose, deliberately avoiding his wanting lips. As much as Joey tried to catch those lips in his own, the more Bakura taunted him to.  
  
The whitehead then slowly moved down, almost causing Joey's blood to boil in sensual heat as his tongue glided towards his lower physique, initiating short, gasping breaths from the man beneath him.  
  
Duke could just smile as he watched Joey's knuckles turn white as he clutched the bedclothes. He shifted so he could look closer at Joey's face and at the expression on it that he found quite amusing, momentarily listening to the boy's dragging breaths. He took the blonde's lips in his own, Joey immediately obliging him. Fingers twined in Duke's flowing raven strands as tongues hungrily warred, the blonde releasing his frustration in Duke's mouth, Ryou still feasting on his already burning flesh.  
  
Joey could just feel wet warmness enveloping his aroused member, and he couldn't help but buck his hips against Ryou's expert mouth, all the while moaning beneath Duke's kiss. And truly, Bakura was as good as he was with duels, his tongue driving Joey insane, with sensibly applied suction providing more stimulation. Frustratingly, the whitehead pulled as the blonde was about to come, Duke pulling not long after.  
  
"Aw, Ryou. That's enough torture."  
  
Ryou smirked. "Don't spoil the fun." He said, as he licked his lips. Duke smiled back.  
  
The blonde's eyes were still closed, his chest heaving up and down in heavy panting. Damn too much torture. Duke licked the spit trailing on the side of his lips, and he took in a sharp breath. "...Please..." he breathed almost incoherently. It earned a smile from the two other men.  
  
Bakura flipped Joey on his chest. The blonde's frame lay in between his knees, and he bended down to the nape of the man's neck. "You want me inside you?" He asked softly.  
  
"...Yes..."  
  
"You do?"  
  
"...Please..."  
  
And with that, Bakura's teeth sank unto the flesh of Joey's shoulder, drawing a strangled cry from the man. He then momentarily sucked skin as it bled slightly, loving the taste of blood, loving the taste of supremacy. His mouth wandered, once and again. Joey writhed madly as he felt Bakura working on his cleft, letting out an excited scream whenever he felt the whitehead's tongue brush his opening.  
  
Bakura stood up and moved towards Joey's side. "Your time." He said, looking towards his raven-haired lover. Duke then inched to where Bakura was and leaned upon Joey, placing a kiss upon the nape of the boy's neck before he eased himself in, slowly as he used to. Joey met him halfway though, to receive the whole of his thick shaft. The raven-haired man was slightly worried more than pleasured for a while, until Joey urged back on him, reminding him of what he was supposed to be doing.  
  
Duke was more than surprised with Joey's reaction, which was a direct contrast to what he saw the other night. He glanced at his lover, who then had a small smile on his pale face. To him was the recognition for tapping Joey's hidden lust. And clearly, with that smile on his face, this is how he wanted it to be.  
  
And so, gripping Joey's hips, he pushed his arousal deep within him, the blonde's moans filling the room all the while, strengthening the essence of the evening more and more with every second.  
  
The blonde clutched the sheets tighter than before, having no time finding any other thing to hold on to but the blankets to stop his sanity from slipping away. Bakura was grinning even wider than before on his corner of the bed, entertaining himself with the display. In the back of his head he congratulated himself for now, Joey's appetite was so insatiable it put Duke's sensual prowess to shame.  
  
The raven-haired man can't help but be amazed. He can't remember the last time someone under him mocked him by asking for more.  
  
Duke pushed Joey down on his bed and pounded in him. But still, Joey could not get enough, and he almost cried in frustration. The raven-haired man pulled out. Joey's reactions were so beyond him now. He could not figure out, for all the world, what the hell Bakura did with Joey. Bemused, he glanced questioningly at Ryou, who was immensely enjoying himself now.  
  
Bakura gestured for Duke to get under Joey, and Duke just followed obediently, wanting to feed his confusion now. He rolled beside Joey and took the blonde on top of him, waiting for what Bakura will do. Until Joey grabbed his hardness and pushed it inside him, almost riding Duke's hips to the stars before the raven-haired man knew what was happening.  
  
"Cool it, blondie." The whitehead held Joey's waist with both hands to stop him from doing anything that would spoil what he was planning to do. The night was not through yet, afterall.  
  
Bakura pushed Joey on Duke's chest, bracing the blonde's hips and thrusting himself in, together with Duke. And the white-haired man started to move even before Duke could say 'Oh God.'  
  
Joey's head was nestled on Duke's neck, gripping his hair as Ryou started to move, driving the raven-haired man deeper within their blonde boy. Bakura rocked the two men so hard that the bed slammed constantly on the wall, creating a symphony for the beasts that were unleashed in all their wildness. Duke could do nothing but hold on to his life, which for now was the blonde boy on top of him.  
  
The blonde released his finale unto the man beneath him, showering Duke with his satisfaction now, and the raven-haired man followed not long after, not having contained Joey's tightness and Ryou's dance for long, accompanying Ryou to his own night's fulfillment.  
  
"Blood." Bakura muttered as he pulled out from Joey, followed by Duke, who was worried for a second. "Don't worry. It's not that bad."  
  
They couldn't do much after, limp amidst each other's weight, dead tired. The minutes that followed held only their heaving pants, and the trickling of their sweat against each other's skin.  
  
"Bastard." Joey muttered, a small smile against Duke's neck.  
  
Bakura tried to lift himself off the other two with his still slightly trembling arms. "Shut up, we both know you loved it."  
  
The blonde chuckled and turned himself around to place a brief kiss on the whitehead's pale lips, finally having the chance. He then turned over again and did the same to the other man before finally giving up to a weary, but well-deserved and very satiated slumber.  
  
Ryou leaned over Joey to kiss Duke's forehead before rolling to his side.  
  
"Goodnight, love."  
  
---  
  
"OI! What happened??" The whitehead asked worriedly as he met Duke by the door.  
  
"Hm." Duke mumbled as he touched his fat lip.  
  
"Bad hit. Fight somewhere?" Joey inquired. Duke had been gone all day. He managed to get up earlier than the other two, leaving them early without them knowing where he went.  
  
"He...hit me."  
  
"Does it hurt?" Bakura asked softly.  
  
"Don't worry, Baku-chan, it's just a small bruise."  
  
"Who hit you anyway??" He asked, annoyed. If he could, he'd like to hit that person back, three times as hard, or if he could just beat him to a handicapped pulp.  
  
"I deserve this, don't you think?" Duke smiled.  
  
But Joey could just stare at the two other men, not hearing what they were saying. A cold hand just seemed to grip his throat all of a sudden, its long fingers stretching his insides, his head spinning. He didn't know what it was, but he didn't want it to go away. _No...not away..._

__  
  
**A/N: **Hahahahahahah... hahahahahah... hah. So, you'd review won't you? Please?


	3. There Were Two There Will Always Be Two

**_…There were two…There will always be two_**

**__**

****

"So, Bakura, where have you been?" Joey said, as he tried to break the mundane ticking of the clock and the equally annoying noise of the TV, which none of them really paid attention to.

It was the dying hours of the day. Both men did nothing all day but slouch around in the living room, after breakfast and lunch that Ryou prepared much to Joey's surprise, staring absentmindedly at the TV, and the momentary sharing of glances--bored, naughty, scared, and already everything of that sort between the both of them, including a bit of playing around, or chasing around for that matter.

"You are not in the place to know."

"Oh c'mon, bite me."

Bakura moved to get out of his chair.

"I mean, no, but—tell me."

"And why should I? Have you become Duke's replacement over here or something?" The whitehead muttered lazily, sinking back into his original place.

"No, but I want to know."

"Why?"

"Nothing. I… just want to know… about you two… you're… you know…"

Bakura growled to cut him off. "Just say we're lovers, ok?!" He barked, annoyed. "You make it sound like it's a deadly contagious disease or something!"

"Ok, I'm sorry. You know I'm new in this."

A loud, exasperated sigh. "Fine. But trust me, you aren't like a beginner in bed."

The blonde's cheeks flared into a burnt red. "Ok, enough of that!!" No, he definitely wasn't ready to talk about it yet. "You're changing the topic. This is about you and not me, remember??"

"A slightly more annoying version of Duke…" Bakura muttered as he chuckled. "Ok so, I've been in Egypt."

"_Egypt??_ What the hell were you doing in Egypt??"

"Stuff to steal… things to destroy… boys to sleep with… those kind of things."

"Er…" Joey grinned stupidly. _I should have kno— _"What?!?"

"What?" Bakura turned to him sluggishly, his eyes half-dropped.

"_B-boys to…sleep with?!?"_

"I told you, you're not in the place to know."

"Oh c'mon, I don't believe you."

"Do I look like in the mood to joke around?" The whitehead said, slowly, but somewhat dangerously calm.

"With you and Duke… like…_that??_"

Joey was half-perplexed and half-annoyed as the other man just turned away from him and towards the TV, smirking briefly. Like he was underestimating the blonde's comprehension abilities. The blonde just stared at Bakura, still not swayed by the whitehead.

Ryou glanced at him, sensing his eyes. Ok, so Joey was not such an easy opponent to beat, with his persistence and all. He motioned Joey to come over to his place with his hand's up-and-down sway.

The blonde raised an incredulous eyebrow. And Bakura just continued his urging. Finally, Joey stood up and edged to where the whitehead sat. He lowered his head when Ryou was somewhat trying to whisper something to him. The suddenly, surprisingly, Bakura caught him by the waist and sat him his lap, his back facing the other man.

Bakura neared his face to the blonde's ear. "There are some things that you just can't understand, Joey."

The blonde opened his mouth to retort something out, but he could not say anything, defeated, finally.

"OI!"

There was yet another loud thud as Bakura got up abruptly like Joey was not sitting on him. He almost ran to the door.

"What happened??" The whitehead asked worriedly as he met Duke by the door.

"Hm." Duke flinched as he touched his bruised lip.

"Bad hit. You got into a fight somewhere?" Joey tried to inquire as he stood up from the floor.

"He…hit me."

Bakura's face was twitched in mixed worry and anger. He gently cupped Duke's chin, examining the annoying bruise. "Does it hurt?" He asked, his face turning soft.

"Ne, Baku-chan, it's just a small bruise." Duke smiled, quite happy with Bakura's reactions.

"Who hit you anyway?!" The whitehead's face hardened once again, his tone rising. He wished to know who had hurt Duke, to hit him thrice as hard in the face, or just beat him senseless to the ground.

"I deserve this, don't you think?" Bottle-green eyes turned to the blonde as Duke smiled ruefully.

Joey just stood there, lost in oblivion all of a sudden. He cannot explain it, but he just felt something, something really weird, something he knew he wasn't supposed to be thinking about then.

---

The blonde shifted uneasily once and again in the couch, alone in the silence of the living room when Bakura came back from wherever.

"Hey there." The whitehead greeted loudly, trying to shake the frozen blonde.

Joey turned to him idly. "Hey."

"Gotta prob? Where's Duke?" Bakura sank next to Joey, crossing his arms behind his head.

"He kicked me out."

"What??"

"He. Kicked. Me. Out."

--

_"Do you know where Ryou went, Joey?"_

_Duke was drying his hair up in front of a mirror, Joey watching from their bed. He had just taken a bath and Joey, well, Joey didn't take it with him. _

_And speaking of that, Joey's stomach lurched. Eversince his talk with Bakura, he can't feel quite comfortable with Duke around. He didn't know what to do, what to say, if he even had to do anything._

Bakura…is sleeping with other guys.

_"Hey, Joey, you okay?" The raven-haired lad turned to where the blonde sat. Joey was drenched in cold sweat, his face drained of color._

Should I do something?__

_"Joey." _

_The blonde turned to him absentmindedly. "Yeah?" He replied, not having remembered that he was already a few lines back from the other man._

_"You have been like that since I came back. Is there a problem?" He asked, his face etched with gentle worry, that uneasy fall of his eyebrows marring his already-marred beautiful face. _

_"…No…not really…"_

_Duke returned to face the mirror, his expression unwavering. _

_"Duke?"_

_"Hm?"_

"…Do you…love…Bakura?"

_"Yes."_

_Joey's eyes widened. Duke answered too straightly, earnestly honest, without doubt. Which made it even screwed for the blonde. _

_"Why do you ask?"_

_"Does he love you, too?" _

_Duke managed to show a very slight smile. He is amazed, more than surprised, to hear the blonde asking him anything of that matter. Amazed of his childlike tone and somewhat innocent eyes._

_"Yes, I believe he does."_

_The blonde's resolve broke to dust. He didn't want to hurt this man, this man who had shown utter kindness and unexplainable gentleness with him. He didn't want to give him pain in return, no he didn't, and he wouldn't want to, ever. But Bakura… would he let Duke remain in Bakura's shadow like this forever, not knowing of the deceit of his lover, which he held so dear and believed that loves him too?_

No… It can't be helped…

_"…Then why…why aren't you his only one?"_

_The mundane ticking of the clock corrupted the silence once and again, taking advantage of the uneasy stillness and the quietness of held breaths._

_A sudden surge of heat flowed to Joey's face as he saw's the slightest upward curve of Duke's pale lips in the mirror. The memory of those sorrowful bottle-green eyes he just saw will forever be burned in his memory. He didn't know why, but he was enraged by this reaction. It's not like anything he had expected from what he thought was a man that just knew his lover was cheating._

Tick, tock... tick, tock…

_"What?? Can't you say anything?!?" Joey almost shouted._

_Duke smiled slightly, ever sadly, again._

_"I can't believe you." The blonde remarked in disbelief. "That bastard is sleeping with other guys and you'd just keep silent and smile at me sadly there?!"_

_Bottle-green eyes melted into russet ones knowingly, its light dimmer than usual._

_"You…already know…?"_

_The raven-haired man turned back to his mirror and continued to comb his hair, exasperating Joey even more._

_"You mean—you know Bakura's cheating all along and you haven't done anything?!? Just keeping quiet in your own little corner in his shadow, probably pained all along but still letting him treat you like—like a bitch—or his plaything or something-- " _

"Get out."

--

Even as he sat there on the chair, restless all the while even after a couple of hours or so since Duke threw him out of their room… He can still remember the chilly glow of Duke's eyes, and his deep, toneless voice when he told him to get out. The words were so bitter he could taste them as they kept repeating themselves in his head, almost driving him mad.

---

Dinner was taken in absolute silence. Not even Ryou would dare to speak, knowing his situation in between. He didn't know the whole story, but he knew Duke was mad at Joey. That's all there is to know, and he wasn't really a man of questions. Period.

Joey ate quietly on his side of the table, russet eyes fixed on his plate. He had done something offending to Duke, he knew it. But he can't quite understand why the raven-haired man was mad _at him _and _not_ with Bakura.

"Duke, about a while ago…"

The blonde flinched slightly as silverware slammed onto the table. Duke abruptly got up and stormed out of the dining area, Ryou following suit, leaving Joey alone on the table.

"…I'm sorry." He tried to finish his sentence off to the empty space, his golden-brown eyes burning behind closed lids.

---

"What's going on?" Bakura asked a bit harshly, almost fed up with the tension.

"Duke, I'm sorry." A voice suddenly came out of nowhere. Obviously, Joey had followed the two men upstairs. "I don't really understand what I did wrong."

"Maybe it's time you did."

"Will somebody tell me what happened while I was away?? This is so screwed up, you hear?!" Bakura's impatience ruled out.

"Tell me, Bakura, do you really love Duke?" Joey asked, his voice still controllably flat.

"Yes, I do, but what does that have to do with this?!"

"Then why do you keep hurting him?"

The whitehead turned to Duke, who, then, turned away from him. "Duke…?"

Seems that all of them are lost now. "I was bothered when I knew you were playing around with other men. He…he loves you very much, Bakura, and he believes that you do, too. He knows of what you do, but he just keeps quiet. I don't understand."

"Look. I know that he _knows_ what I do. He accepted me for who I am."

"And I just can't." The blonde's voice was flowing with utmost concern. He just can't stand it. Those sorrowful, dim green eyes he saw in the mirror rushed to his memory once and again.

Way too screwed. _Way too aggravatingly screwed._

"I sleep with other men. That's what I do. But it doesn't mean anything to me. Only Duke does." Bakura was all so suddenly calm. "Tell me, Duke, do you know that?"

"…Yes."

Joey painstakingly stayed there, watching the other two men without quite understanding anything. He could not stand having to watch all this, mainly because he didn't want to believe that it was even possible. He couldn't well see the point, and he didn't want to accept it. "But you…_hurt_…don't you?"

"…Yes."

Sharp, auburn eyes mellowed in the sight of sad, lime ones. Never has he seen them so dim.

Duke turned to face Bakura, then Joey, and turned to the cold, dark ground. "…Am I…just one of those toys?"

Finally, light was dawning on Joey's understanding. Duke was not mad at him… he was just… scared, perhaps. Scared that Bakura didn't really love him, like he believed. With the whitehead being able to induce other clueless men under his spell, it's not impossible that he's just one of them, one of those toys he simply played with. Joey just had to slap him in the face with the possibility, that, however painful, he may be. That he doubted himself and Ryou unconsciously; he just tried to ignore that doubt because of his love.

--

_On a dark corner of an alleyway, a little boy with unruly black hair was hugging his knees, tears pouring from his wide, green eyes. _

_"Hey there." Another boy, about 7 years of age like the other, just happened to walk by and crouched by his side. _

_The black-haired boy pretended not to hear him. He was too upset to talk right now. He kept his face hidden behind his crossed arms, sobbing._

_"What's the problem?" The other boy asked again._

_Finally, the crying one looked at his newfound companion. He was a boy with short, messy white hair and big shining brown eyes, looking at him with such pure, childlike concern._

_"Why are people bad?" He uttered, his little voice still squeaky. He stared sadly at the ground._

_"Why, what happened?" _

_The boy hid his face again. "People hate me and my dad. See, my daddy is a clown… people laugh at him. My friends hate me now they already found out. They… they pushed me…" He said, his voice trembling, as he showed his bleeding arm to the other boy. "I ran away. I don't ever want to come back out there again. They all hate me."_

_"Don't cry. I am alone too. I ran away from home because they all hate me there, too. They yell at me all the time, they even beat me. I have no parents. I don't cry."_

_Wide green eyes looked at the other's brown ones. "Really?"_

_The other boy smiled. "Yes." He ripped a strip of the rim of his shirt and started to tie it to the other boy's arm. "There. Does it still—" _

_The white-haired boy suddenly dropped to the ground, clutching his head. The other boy held him worriedly. "Are you alright? What's happening?" He said, his big green eyes watery._

_But the other boy just kept screaming in pain, writhing on the ground while he clutched on his head. "My head… it… hurts… aah…" _

_After a few more minutes, the white-haired boy stopped moving, dead limp on the ground. The other one shook him, tears streaming from his eyes. "Hey! Wake up! Don't leave me!!" He screamed._

_Brown eyes opened slowly. For some reason, it scared the other boy and he edged away. The white-haired boy got up, and the other one backed to the wall. _

_It was _not_ he. No, this boy _scared_ him._

_"Hey there." He said, as he came nearer to the black-haired boy._

_"No…don't come any closer…" He cried._

_"Don't be afraid…" He said, as he stretched out his little arms to the frightened boy. He held him in his arms, trying to hush the other's crying. "…I will take care of you. We will be together…"_

--

"No…of course not." Bakura wrapped his arms around Duke, holding him tight. And Joey, he saw it. It wasn't like anything Bakura did to Duke. It was… out of… sincerity. Reciprocated warmness. "I'm a man that is not to be trusted. But that is the only one, I assure you with my life, I cannot lie about."

--

_"…Always."_

_--_

Duke was the one who gave birth to that other side of Ryou. A man that was a total opposite to him—loud, rude, violent, impulsive, treacherous, hardheaded, conceited… a man that vowed to love him as his life, and a man he loved back just as much. Eventhough he sleeps with other men, they shared something beyond all that, and that only they understood.

Joey realized that, finally. The scenario in front of him proved him wrong all along. However odd, he can't help but believe that it was indeed true.

---

"Can I go to school?"

Duke laughed.

It was early in the morning, fourth day of Joey's week. As if the count mattered. He wouldn't mind being a mutt forever if all pups were treated like this. The whitehead was still sleeping, his arms and legs draped over Duke, and they looked quite adorable, much like little kids.

The night was spent in an entirely different air. It was a good thing, especially for Joey, for by it he better understood their mutual agreement that was beyond body. All of them just lay awake in the bed, side-by-side, just enjoying each other's company, sharing their stories to tell, sharing their comfort, their quietness until they drifted off.

The blonde was the first to get up, having woken up unexpectedly because he had a dream he already couldn't remember. He took his morning bath and came back to the room with the raven-haired man already awake, but still lazing about beneath Ryou's limbs. For some reason, Joey wanted to go to school.

"What's so funny? I just want to go to school today."

Duke laughed again. "Nothing. You're just cute."

Pink stained the blonde's cheeks. "Anyway, I'll be going. Coming with me?"

"Nah. I'm going to stay here with my Baku-chan." The raven-haired man replied, his eyes glowing dreamily as he kissed the tip of Bakura's nose. "I missed him."

And with that, Joey approached Duke. He cradled the man's face in his hand, tracing his thumb downward through the black line on his cheek.

--

_"I don't want to cry anymore." The black-haired boy of seven years, frail and innocent, spoke. He woke up after a bad dream that night. His shouts and cries had wakened the other boy beside him. They changed their minds about sleeping even after a couple of hours or so._

_The white-haired boy wiped the other's cheek with his hand. "It's hard not to cry."_

_"You won't make me want to cry anymore, would you?" _

_"No, of course not."_

_Big green eyes looked at the taller boy happily. He smiled as the other boy traced his thumb on his face, from the brim of his eye down to his left cheek. "This is where your tears always fall." He said. "They wouldn't fall anymore."_

_And so, a black line was marked there, to remind him that he wouldn't have to cry since then._

_--_

Joey smiled as he kissed Duke's forehead. He woke up in a good morning.

---

The summer air played with Joey's golden hair as he walked in the open road to their school. He was happy, and the sky seemed the same. It was such a good day. Who cares if he's late for school anyway…

He walked by the roadside overlooking the creek. The water was a crystal blue, and the grass carpet was dancing with the wind, so peaceful and calming. He stopped. There was someone there, lying on the grass, his arms crossed behind his head.

Joey's heart leapt in surprise.

**A/N: **Heya! Did I bore you? Anyway, I'm doing it a-chapter-a-day. So, it's the third day, aight? Fourth day next chappie. I find it very slutty to do a-boy-a-day mweheheh… and I can't help the angst. It's in my blood. So… just guess who's next… ja :)


	4. And Then There Were Four

**_…And then there were four_**

****

_Why here? How…?_

_I never thought…_

"Joey?"

The sky was dim that day, but to Joey, it couldn't be any brighter. He had been totally preoccupied for the past how many days already, living in a totally different world. But no, he didn't forget.

"Yugi!"

Of course not.

The blonde's eyes shined happily as he waved his hands. The smile that stretched along his face was very toothy. He couldn't show how happy he was enough, it felt like it would rip his chest apart.

The King of Duelists stood up, his unruly hair dancing. His mauve eyes radiated a unique light that showed a happiness of their own, a light that had always enthralled Joey. He longed to see those eyes again. God, how he missed him.

Joey's legs couldn't help but want to run towards the other boy. He had wanted to talk to him, tell him everything, tell him how thankful he already is that they saw each other. But as luck would have it, he tripped and lost his balance, toppling over the road's edge and rolling downhill the clearing.

"Joey!" Yugi called to him worriedly as he ran towards his direction. "You alright?"

The blonde opened his eyes, those russet eyes still shining happily despite his luck, and smiled. He was lying spread-eagled on the flat ground near the water's edge, his clothes and hair in earth muck and grass. And if he didn't look silly enough, he laughed.

Yugi laughed. He helped Joey up, but much to his surprise, Joey pulled him, and had his turn on good luck. Joey laughed even harder because now Yugi was splat on the water edge, all wet. The boy laughed with him. Now they really looked uber-silly, but heck, they couldn't care less. Guess they really missed each other. 

---

They just shared the still quiet of the afternoon for a long time, lying in the grass beside each other's company, just enjoying it without really knowing why. But as if they cared. They spent the whole morning fooling around like little kids. They were happy, they were carefree, and that's all there was to care about.

"Ne, Yugi, what brought you here anyways?" The blonde asked. "It's a bit far from our area."

Yugi looked at his direction then bowed his head. He gave out a sigh, smiling while he shook his head slightly.

---

"You really think Joey went to school?" The house was unusually _quieter _today, and Bakura almost wondered why.

Duke chuckled, snuggling closer to the other man. "Nah."

And the white-haired man tightened his arms around Duke's shoulder in reciprocation. He stared at the TV, the continuous chattering of the soulless box almost incoherent to his ears. "Which reminds me… there was someone with you the other day."

"Huh?"

"_Someone was following you_, baka." 

"Oh, that?" Duke smiled knowingly. "Nevermind."

---

A warm shade of pink crept unto Joey's cheeks. _Yugi actually followed Duke?_ Oh, did he ever wonder why this boy willed to risk his future for the blonde's sake. "Why?" He asked, not thinking of what he was saying.

Yugi seemed a bit shocked to hear him ask, but just smiled, looking ahead. "I…I was worried."

Joey grinned. "Thanks."

"Seriously, Joey." The other boy looked at him, his mauve eyes shining. "_How are you?" _He said, honest concern ringing in Joey's ears.

The blonde's smile faded as he looked away. But he didn't look far from happy still. It's just that…yeah, he had been fine. Too comfortable even, he must say, but could he really tell his bestfriend what had happened for the past days? Naturally, he feared rejection. Not that he didn't trust Yugi…he just didn't trust himself.

"You know, I hit Duke the other day."

--

_"Where is he?" The boy's eyes were narrowing in impatience. Joey didn't come to school that day, a day after the first day of his 'payoff' for his 'debt' to Duke. And Yugi… Yugi's patience was wearing off._

_"Don't worry. He's being a good mutt." _

_"What did you do to him?" The forceful whisper echoed mixed worry and anger. His fists were curled into ominous balls that were shaking with anger. _

_"How on earth could you care?" The raven-haired man surely considered this mockery to be a habit. It was entertaining him way too much. "Oh, right, you tried to save his sorry ass, didn't you? Too bad he's too stupid." He laughed. "I almost cried." He teased._

_Yami Yugi was burning in the cheeks, his teeth gritted angrily. "Fuck you. What did you do to him?"  _

_Duke smirked. He looked down on the boy with such arrogance and mockery, a vile glint gleaming in his green eyes. "He's being treated like any other nice man would treat his dog. I told you, don't worry. I'm a good master." _

Almost simultaneously, a heavy fist collided with raw skin, flesh and bone. The King of Duelists just couldn't hold back any longer. 

--

He… he was… the one who hit him?! The blonde stammered in his mind. He had always known Yugi to be a totally patient and gentle mind-over-matter person, not only to him but to everyone and everything. He always tried to find a way to handle things by talking or any way so as not to get anyone hurt. Now Joey just can't help but be overwhelmed with what he's hearing. First, Yugi had tried to save him. Then he hit Duke because of him. He even followed the guy to try to see how he's doing. How much more could he take?

Heck, if he really was that soupy, he could've cried right then and there.

It just proved that Yugi really… cared for him. Utter worry was he saw in his eyes. "I'd been fine. Duke's been really nice."

"No, really." As if Yugi could believe not even a single bad thing happened. Of course, knowing that he really haven't known Duke and absolutely didn't trust him to do anything good.

The blonde's russet eyes dimmed for a bit. Yes he was scared to tell, but he'd tell it. Because Yugi wanted to know. And for some reason, Joey felt he needed to tell him.  He looked away, scared of what he might see; scared that he might regret doing everything he did with just one look of disgust, hatred or rejection from this boy beside him.

"I…I slept with Duke."

"Could I kill him now? I had been wanting to." The boy somehow tried to kid around, not wanting Joey's words to sink in. But his knuckles were ashen against the grass carpet, trembling. He just can't lie to himself. "Did he force you?" He whispered.

"Yugi…" Joey took the courage to look at the other boy, his eyes swimming in his fear. "I let him." The tone in his voice was almost hopeless, but truthful nonetheless, remembrances of his night with Duke flashing in his mind and corrupting his thoughts more.

The boy smiled bitterly. "I was afraid you'd say that." He looked away, not knowing how to react.

The silence aggravated Joey to no end. He was shaking furiously, and his head ached. The look on Yugi's face almost made him puke. He had to accept it. He wanted Yugi to know, right? So this, this is what he deserved.

"You hate me now, don't you?" He smiled resentfully, staring at the ground. "And you know what?" Just then, tears silently slid down his cheeks. "I had slept with Bakura too. Now you'll think that's even more disgusting."

Joey got up, not wanting to torture himself any further. If this would be the end, he didn't know, but surely things would never be the same. And as if the skies felt his pain, it cried. Cold drops of its tears hit the ground and fell unto their raging souls, somehow wanting to appease their grief.

With a heavy heart he walked away towards the road. His dripping russet eyes looked back to where he left his friend. Still there was Yugi, who didn't move even an inch from where he sat. He didn't even bother glance at Joey.

His shoes splattered with the wet road as he walked. A step. A step. And another, his hope that he would hear that voice tell him to stop or even if he could just hear him say anything crumbling away with every step he took, with every inch he was getting farther from him.

"Do you love him?" 

Now Joey got what he wanted.

He looked back to see Yugi standing on the road himself, a few feet away from him. The look on the boy's face was a total blank.

"I don't really know."

Was all he can say, a poignant smile appearing slightly on his forsaken face. He gathered his strength left to take another step away. He didn't know what to do now; he just didn't want to hurt himself any more.

"Joey, I don't hate you."

"I don't need your pity, Yugi."

Not knowing he was hurting someone more than that. He took another step.

"Joey." The boy said as firmly as he gripped the blonde's hand from behind.

Joey turned around, surprised to find out that Yugi was just a mere inches from him, hand still in his. From this near he could see something in those mauve eyes he had never seen before, and didn't dream, moreover want to see ever.

Pain.

"Please, don't go."

---

Grrrr.

Bakura's stomach grumbled angrily for the umpteenth time now. "Ne, Duke, I'm a growing boy and I need food, you know."

"Just because you like eating raw doesn't mean I don't have to cook my food either, idiot." Duke retorted, smiling. "And you don't look anywhere near a boy to me."

Grrrrrrrr.

"Food…food…food…"

"Glutton." The raven-haired man approached the dining area where Bakura was already grumbling his guts out. "Poor you. You'd have to wait if you want to eat with me. Don't you want to eat with me?" He said, plopping himself unto his Baku-chan's lap so they were face-to-face. The white-haired fellow's arms circled the other man's waist simultaneously.

"Yeah. Poor me. Too bad I'm not gonna wait, and you'd have to be my meal because you're such a lousy cook."

"Come to think of it, I'm a little hungry myself." Duke said. He got off from Bakura, took the man's hand and was about to go away, their room perhaps, but the white-haired man pulled his hand back, putting him back to his previous position.

"Sorry, but I eat in the dining table, not the bedroom." The taller man teased, picking Duke up and placing him unto the table before him. He took off his shirt and then climbed up the table himself.

"Because I have manners."

---

The thunder roared in the sky as the darkness ate up all that's left of the day. Their steps were hurried and wet as Joey ran ahead of Yugi, the boy's hand clasped in his. If they were to get anymore wet than this, it's already going to get ugly.

They ran across the front lawn and hurriedly got out of the hard pour through the entrance. Yugi was removing his shoes, all the while silently marveling the house like anyone would, as the blonde was opening the doors. They walked through the brief hall and unto the living area.

Empty.

Joey was obviously looking for the owners of the house but there weren't any signs of them. Here at least. And, not surprisingly, the blonde quietly assumed that they were upstairs. Ahem. But no, he needed to tell Duke his visitor needs a change of clothes. So yeah, he has to find him.

Squeak.

That came from the kitchen. The sound merely escaped the noise of the rain outside.

And so, without a word, Joey proceeded towards the kitchen, with Yugi following closely behind him.

What the—

"DUKE!!"

--

A long, dark finger traced through a pale cheek. Duke smiled. "So pretty…"

The man on top of him smirked. Then, the sharp auburn eyes turned soft, and the once-smirking face now showed a very angelic smile. "I'll let you compliment me for once." The boy said softly.

"I like it when you do that, Baku-chan."

Then, with that, Bakura returned to what he previously was. He knew Duke also loved that other side of him, the 'light' to his 'darkness'. Weirdly enough, so did he. Well, maybe sometimes. But anyway.

Duke got Bakura's hand and kissed his palm. He then brought his tongue out and teased it, afterwards sucking on the fingers all the way, sharp auburn eyes watching him intently as he did so. He traced butterfly kisses on Bakura's bare arm up to his shoulders to his collarbone.

"Hey, I should be the one eating here." The taller man whispered to Duke's ear before nibbling it. He then moved down a little to the man's jaw, forcing Duke to halt his teasing, initiating deep, slow breaths from him.

And just then, Duke felt Bakura's sharp teeth sinking into his shoulder flesh, painstakingly slow, unconsciously making him slowly bare his teeth through his as-slowly opening mouth, throwing his head back in pleasure and pain.

The taller man sucked hard on the teeth marks, then snatched Duke's lips in his own in a mad fit, their digging breaths blowing at each other's faces.

Long, pale fingers fumbled down to the fabric of the raven-haired man's jeans, raking his long nails against the tough material around Duke's inner thighs and crotch, causing Duke to almost writhe underneath the other man. Bakura tried feeling the buttons and actually tried to give it one hard tug that Duke's hips were lifted together with it.

Squeak.

The buttons gave a faint sound as they hit the ground, and it was absolutely drowned by the sound of the rain.

Duke held on the man's long, white hair as Bakura hungrily mouthed his chest…yes…lower…

"DUKE!!"

--

Yugi was so utterly…speechless right now.

His mauve eyes were so glassy, like he was far out in space, just staring silently at the two men on the table.

And Joey…Joey was burning red in the cheeks.

Bakura and Duke just looked at them with unmindful faces, almost innocent if not for their still unchanged, almost completely unaffected arrangement on top of the oaken furniture.

"Welcome home."

The King of Duelists was so taken aback he didn't even entertain the idea of an innocently smiling Duke greeting him.

---

"Locked."

"LOCKED."

"Why is this frickin' door locked?!?"

Joey was shaking cold as he cursed at the big oaken door. His clothes were soaking wet after staying in the rain.

"But I thought he told you to get a change of clothes in here." Yugi said, half wondering and half annoyed.

"Yeah he did." The blonde's voice was terribly shaking. "And it's darn sealed."

"You don't look so good." The other boy tried feeling Joey's neck. "You stay here, I'll ask him."

And so, Yugi descended the stairs to the living room. Bakura was slouching on the couch as always, glued on whatever he found so interesting (or not interesting) on the forever-chattering TV.

"Excuse me Bakura, where's Duke?"

"'Sup little boy?"

Yugi's face slightly distorted in annoyance for a while. "The bedroom door's locked."

"He's back there. From the kitchen just go left and keep going."

The boy hurried to where he was told without even a word, obviously offended.

"Thank you by the way, little boy." The whitehead said loudly in sarcasm.

---

Shoot.

Duke was having one of his 'alone times' again, playing billiards in the pool area. He just loves being alone every once in a while, taken to account that he spends periods of time alone when Bakura goes away for some time. This time's just an exception because, well, Joey's there.

"Hey."

The tall man turned around to see a very wet Yugi on the hallway, with a hesitating look on his face. Well, can't blame him, Duke thought, I have been a bad boy to him anyway. "Oi." He said, pretending not to be interested in having a conversation, turning back to his pool table.

"You… left the bedroom door locked."

"Did I?" He said flatly again. He remembered he locked it after his Baku-chan kept dragging him in there after he insisted that he wanted some time alone (that ended with Bakura finally giving up, which explains why he's there wasting in front of the TV). And the thought of that made him want to play around a bit.

If it weren't for Joey's insistence that he come with him here, he would've just gone back home right now. He was getting so annoyed with the people in here. He did not want to answer if not for Joey's state then. "Yeah. Now can I have the key?"

Duke let out a small smile, noticing that the smaller boy was getting pissed off. "Yes you can."

"Where is it?"

"It's in my pocket." He plainly said, as he aimed his cue stick.

Yugi did not say anything, puzzled for some reason. It's in his pocket, why in the world should he get it?

As if the other man heard his thoughts. "I have no time to do any favor for you, Mutou. Don't you have hands?"

I'm gonna get it myself? The boy thought. Poor boy. He just stood there, bemused for a second.

"Yes, you go get it."

Joey needs to get a change of clothes, he tried to convince himself as he approached the still-playing Duke. And that instant he noticed…Duke was wearing tight leather pants today.

"I'll just pretend you're not there." Duke said, sensing Yugi stopped moving behind him, a playful smirk hidden in his dark features.

Silence.

"…Which pocket?"

"Hmm…" Duke paused for a while, pretending to think. "Sorry, forgot where." Then he proceeded with his game.

Yugi's temples throbbed angrily. Just have to get this over with. He grumbled in his mind. If someone knew how to piss him off, it was this man. Damn, if only his jeans aren't so frickin' tight.

Duke was standing straight, cue stick upright in hand as he studied the table for a while (at least that's what the poor boy thinks).

The smaller boy decided to find the darn key as quick as possible, and that's by searching the two front pockets at once, since they are the common pockets, and the key is most probably somewhere there. He stood behind Duke (since he can't go up front since there's the table, and well, he can't get his hands in pockets this tight from there). He stood as far as possible (which was really near since he doesn't have that long for arms) and brought his hands, straight and flat to Duke's sides, avoiding contact as much as possible (which was not really possible) and carefully slid them in both pockets.

The taller man smiled. He the bended down for a shot, leaving Yugi's hands squished in his pockets, and, well, his backside pushed against the other man. Well, knowing Yugi, he just didn't say anything despite the slight pain, and trying not to mind the awkward arrangement, but Duke knew he did a good job.

"Um, could you straighten out a bit?" He said, feeling uncomfortable.  

"Told you, no favors. You must already be thankful if I'd stay in this same spot until you get your filthy hands off my clothing."  

Is that so?!? Now, the yami cannot extend his patience anymore, aggravated to his nerves. He tried to force his hands deeper into those darn pockets without minding what their darn owner would say or feel. He just needs the frickin' key.

Duke straightened out a bit with that and leaned by his cue stick so he wasn't fully standing. He shook his head and smirked. Well, his jeans are tight.

Yugi's fingers fumbled the pockets with much difficulty, running over every inch inside and trying to feel the cold metal of the key. Kuso… He searched, and searched, and searched in vain.

Which amused Duke at the most.

Finally, the boy gave up and forcefully pulled his hands out of the darn tough material. He quickly stepped back, ignoring the burning sensations at the back of his palm. "It's not there."

"So?"

Grr. The key. It was all that I'm supposed to concentrate on. Calm down…calm down… The King of Duelists grumbled angrily in his mind. He suddenly felt the urge to hit something. Ok, the darn key. Back pockets. It should be there.

Yugi, again, took a step forward towards Duke. He stopped. No, can't have both at the same time. He thought. So he went to Duke's left side, sliding his right hand to the familiar tightness of Duke's pocket, slowly since it is tight.

As Duke was bending for another shot.

The tall man can't help but let out a small, but indeed happy sigh. "Good thinking." He commended without removing his focus on the cue tip, as Yugi figured that he couldn't put his hands in both back pockets at the same time since he was smaller.

The raven-haired man couldn't stop the wide grin that spread across his face when Yugi started his fumbling again. It was his back pockets afterall. And when Yugi stopped his again fruitless search and pulled his hand out, he had to unconsciously use Duke's hip as leverage. He wasn't sure, but Duke thought he was gripping his cue stick too hard.

Yugi let out an angry, frustrated sigh. He was starting to feel cold himself in those wet clothes.

He went to the taller man's other side, already angry despite himself, gripping Duke's hip as he plunged his left hand down the right back pocket, forcing it around, stretching his fingers as much as possible for the key.

"I just love you greediness, Duke Devlin." A voice from the hall shouted, followed by footfalls heading away.

Duke smiled. He knew Bakura was watching there long before.

An offended Yugi just continued what he was doing, trying not to mind the feeling that he was being toyed with.

Still, nothing.

He pulled his hand out. "Nothing."

Duke just stared at him for a couple of seconds. "Maybe you just weren't looking good enough."

"I told you, it's not in any of your damn pockets!" Oops.

The taller man raised an incredulous eyebrow at the glare of mauve eyes. Amused at this reaction, he smirked arrogantly, having to admit that he enjoyed their brief game while succeeding in aggravating Yugi's loooong patience. And perhaps, expecting another punch in the face.

"Want to double-check? I won't mind."

Puffs of smoke almost seethed out of Yugi's head. His breathing was ragged, fists clenched into hard balls on his sides. He was glaring hard at Duke, who, to his further aggravation, looked back at him with no interest at all. He let out an angry puff of air before turning around to exit the hall, giving the nearby wall an angry kick before walking away, not knowing what to do now but so enraged to even think about it. After a couple of steps or so, he stopped.

"Mutou." He heard a familiar, misty voice call.

He turned around, and smartly caught something in his hand. He looked at what Duke threw him. A dice with a metal string with a hooked end attached to it. His earring? He looked at Duke, who had his back turned from the hall and bended down the table.

"What's this?"

"You're asking for the key, were you not?" The man said, not even bothering to face him.

Yugi just stood there, staring at Duke. After a few seconds, he turned to walk away. But then, again, he stopped and glanced back. "Why Joey?"

Duke paused for a while, but didn't say a word. Then he just continued playing.

---

"Hey Yugi. What took you so long?"

Yugi just looked at the blonde without a word.

"Hey, I just noticed, the keyhole's kinda queer. It's kinda like a diamond." Joey caught something Yugi threw him. "Hey, isn't this Duke's earring?"

"Just--open it, will you?"

---

Joey could just silently stare at the stationary figure behind the shower curtain. He had just finished his own shower time, but he didn't know what urged him to go in again, knowing that Yugi was in there already.

And abusing the fact that the boy didn't hear him come in.

"Joey…"

Or at least he thought so.

Shit! Joey panicked in his mind. He was blushing. "Um, ano…" Then he laughed nervously. "Gomen nasai!" He stammered, as he was about to exit the bathroom.

He stopped. He thought he just felt Yugi looking at him. And he felt that familiar pang in his chest, like when they were standing in the rain. The remembrance of those glassy eyes ran through his mind.

Then he just felt like walking through that curtain.

And so, like the unthinking creature that he is, he did what he felt like doing.

"Yugi…" Was all he can say, as his hazel eyes adored the scene before him—Yami Yugi, naked under the steaming shower…he completely lost his mind. "You're so… attractive…" He said as he stared at Yugi's face and the water and golden strands of hair that flowed through it.

The other man put a hand on the side of the blonde's face, leaving warm moisture there as he stroked the skin of Joey's cheek. Joey, in return, leaned to his touch, his own hands yearning for contact. The blonde took a step. As the distance between them died, the smaller one wrapped his arms around the other's neck, pulling him nearer. The blonde circled his arms around the other boy's waist. The warm water continued to spray on them both for long, unmoving moments.

"You know, I could stay like this forever." Yugi whispered to Joey's ear.

"Would you want to?" The other asked in reply, his face nestled unto the curve of Yugi's shoulder, his grip on the other's frame still tight.

Somehow, Joey began to feel so comfortable like this, with Yugi's arms secured around his neck, he felt so at ease and contented. He wouldn't trade this for anything in the world. This is what they shared and he embraced it with all of his heart.

Like Duke and Bakura… he thought. The way Bakura looked at Duke, their subtle glances, the sincere smiles they gave only for each other, their loving touches. But unlike Bakura, I would not want to have anything other than Yugi. Yes, Bakura loved Duke as dear as his life. But still, he could live knowing that Duke knows he feeds his flesh with other men eventhough the man understands why he does. No, I wouldn't dare hurt Yugi like that. But… he already did, didn't he?

"Yugi?"

"Hn?"

"Do you hate me?"

"Of course not."

"Eventhough something already happened between me and Duke?"

"I don't."

"And Bakura?"

"So what?"

"Really?"

"Yes."

"Really?"

"Yes."

"Really?"

"Joey, I don't give a damn."

"Why?"

"Because I know you love me."

Joey smiled. "And you?"

"And me?"

"You love me too?"

"Yes."

"Eventhough I'm such a stupid boy?"

"Yes."

"Eventhough I'm not a good duelist?"

"Yes."

"Eventhough I'm a puppy for now?"

"Yes, silly. And the answer won't change so stop questioning me."

Joey opened his eyes and pushed Yugi a bit so he could see his face. "I love you, Yugi." He whispered. Yugi smiled. The blonde had never seen Yugi smile like this. It was the prettiest thing he had ever seen, next to Yugi's eyes looking at him like this. He caught the other's lips in his own, loving the supple touch of him, loving this intimate contact that they shared right now.

He can't help but to want to feel more of this contact. He licked Yugi's lips, confident to be the dominant one this time. The Yami opened his mouth willingly, letting Joey in, the blonde's tongue running over every inch inside his mouth. He moaned beneath Joey's lips, tightening his grip around the man's neck, pulling him deeper.

The blonde ended the liplock with a brief kiss on Yugi's lips, his hands still stroking the back of the smaller man's head. "Even if I brought you here?"

Yugi let out a quiet laugh. "Yes."

"But you know, they're not as bad as they look."

The King of Duelists let out another quiet laugh, his eyes still locked with Joey's russet ones.

"And I meant that the other way, too." Now Joey was laughing as well.

"Mou, they don't look bad at that at all."

"Oh no, they aren't. Wanna bet?"

Joey flinched a little as Yugi bit the tip of his nose. "You naughty mutt."

---

"Oi—little boy." Bakura greeted as Yugi emerged from the bathroom door, wearing an oversized shirt and pants that stretch obviously longer than his legs, followed by Joey. "Had a great time in there?"

"Yes, Bakura. Now if you don't mind." Joey answered sourly.

Duke was standing near Bakura's couch, a phone in hand. "Yeah dad, whatever." Then he put the phone down.

"Ne, Duke, you shouldn't talk to Jyusen that way." The white-haired man interrupted.

Yugi was surprised for a second. "Jyusen? Kuroi Jyusen? Isn't he—"

Bakura gave him a sharp glare. "Yes, that Jyusen. Now shut up."

Joey can just give a tap at Yugi's shoulder. There's nothing anybody could do about Bakura's protectiveness. Duke's father is not just a normal father afterall.

Duke kissed Bakura briefly on the cheek before walking away. "Dinner's ready."

---

Yugi's stomach did a flip-flop. For the second time already.

Dinnertime.

Duke, Joey and Bakura were eating peacefully in their respective places. Well, ok, Bakura was eating unpeacefully.

And well, it's Yugi's first time to eat with them. To eat with him.

"What's the matter, Mutou? My cooking not good enough?" Duke asked.

Joey glanced at his seatmate. "What's the matter?" Joey almost forgot what he felt like the first time he shared a meal with Bakura.

The incredulous subject had his mouth full. "Yea, what th' prob?" He asked, almost incoherently.

Yugi smiled reluctantly. He tried to pay more attention to his plate.

"You'll get used to him." The raven-haired man smiled one of his most adorable smiles.

The King of Duelists actually blushed at that.

---

After dinner.

Yugi was hanging out in the living room, Joey obliged to do the dishes with Bakura. Duke?

"Mutou." Speaking of.

"N."

Duke sat a seat away from Yugi. And again, the magical senseless tattering of the useless electronic box corrupted the uneasy silence between both men.

"He's just so adorably wide-eyed. I can't help but be drawn to his almost-stupid naïveté." Duke said, his eyes fixed straight ahead. "You? Why him?"

"Oh." The other man turned to Duke, his question a while ago almost forgotten. "I dunno. We've known each other since when. He was…just always there." He didn't know why he even answered such a personal question from a person so… impersonal.

And much to Yugi's surprise, Duke smiled. Not one of those smiles that he used to taunt him and haunt his aggravated memories, but a genuine one. It's like seeing a whole new him, the Duke-the-person and not the Duke-the-greatest-asshole. Even his eyes were soft.

"You two look good together." He smiled.

The King of Duelists, for once, was caught off-guard. He blushed.

"…I love when Joey blushes, much like that. Makes me think you're pretty much the same, for some reason." Duke actually ruffled Yugi's unruly hair. "So adorable."

Yugi let out a smile of his own. He suddenly felt the comfort in Duke's presence, much like when he's with a friend. He didn't understand it either. Then, suddenly, he was staring at a glare.

Yes, Duke was glaring at him.

"But I still don't forgive you for violating my clothing." He said.

"…Sorry about that. I guess I owe you one." He grinned, not even remembering that Duke tricked him to do it, and that the key he told him to look for was, obviously now, not really in any of his pockets but hooked on his ear.

The raven-haired man chuckled. That chuckle whenever Joey does something stupid. He just really sees the resemblance in their nature.

In the kitchen, Joey almost dropped a plate.

"Baka na!" Bakura growled, hitting him in the head with a soap-foamy hand.

"…I though I just heard Duke and Yugi laughing."

---

"DUKE!!!" Joey's voice echoed hard through the living room. His face was burning furiously, his russet eyes seized wide as saucers.

Bakura could just sigh in disbelief behind him, slapping a hand on his face. "Talk about charm overuse."

Indeed, a sight to behold. Yugi was sprawled across the sofa, Duke on top of him, his untied hair obscuring Yugi's face. Judging by their flushed faces, Joey and Bakura caught them in the middle of an, ahem, steamy make-out session.

"Joey!" Yugi protested, his eyes defensive but guilty nevertheless, his hand curled around Duke's arm.

Duke grinned stupidly. "He told me he owed me one."

---

"Duke—Bakura-- it's bed time now." Joey declared to the apparently wide-awake, shirtless lovers that corrupted all the bed space.

"We're sleeping here?" Yugi asked the blonde quietly.

"I dunno." He answered. "Are we?" He asked the two.

"Um…" Duke thought for a while.

"Yes." Bakura finished.

"AND why's that?!" The blonde demanded. "It's a big house!"

"And so?" The raven-haired man said, uninterestingly.

Joey had a deep blush in his cheeks. "And so—we could sleep in some other room!"

"You want privacy?" Bakura asked, with half-dropped eyes. "Well, sorry, we designed this house to accommodate us."

"Only us." Duke nodded. "So, if you want to sleep somewhere else…"

"You'd have the stockroom, the kitchen, the pool hall, outdoors, or the living room." Bakura finished.

The raven-haired man got up and approached where Yugi stood. He stopped behind the smaller man, digging both his hands inside Yugi's front pockets. "But I'm sure Yugi can't settle for that."

Joey glared offensively at Duke. "Get your hands off him you imp." He threatened, what he saw previously in the living room still not forgiven.

But instead of being discouraged, Duke even got his face near Yugi's, his breath teasing the boy's ear. "Yugi, you think I'm an imp?" He pouted, his hands vacating the other man's pockets and crawling their way under Yugi's shirt. 

The smaller boy laughed nervously, looking at Joey. "Uh…not really…"

"Yugi, how can you—tolerate—that man?!" The blonde snorted exasperatedly.

Bakura chuckled. "You talk like you can actually resist Duke." He smirked. "Or me." He added. "I can still remember—"

"Shut up, Bakura." Joey threatened, blushing.

"So…no one's sleeping outside now, right?" Duke smiled.

"No one." Bakura whispered. Joey was suddenly taken aback as Bakura was actually standing so close behind him already. "Right, blondie?"

Oh…not again…Joey thought.

"Now I think we'll both have the privilege of watching." The whitehead took Joey down the mattress with him, the blonde writhing away from his grasp with an unconscious thankful sigh, and—articles of clothing scattering as they did.

Joey's resistance came to a halt as the two standing men caught his attention. Looking back the other night, he himself was in Yugi's position and Duke in Bakura's. Now he figured what it must have felt, just sitting here, watching two of the most desirable men (in his life, that is) in such a display.

"He's such a tease." Bakura sighed, Joey lying in between his folded legs.

Such a tease he was, capable of stimulating anyone with just a look in his captivating bottle-green eyes or the slightest seductive upward curl of his lips. It was just…so purely Duke.

Duke stood so close in front of Yugi. He pulled the boy's oversized shirt off, catching both of Yugi's hands afterwards. He placed one of the smaller hands on his chest, gliding over its bronze finish and settling it on his neck. He settled the other one on his belt buckle. "Undo me, Yugi." He whispered, all the while with fixed stares.

Yugi hesitated for a moment. The taller man graced his palms on Yugi's shoulders, and the boy almost found it soothing and persuasive. He undid the buckle with two hands, leaving the ends dangling, and carefully unlocking the buttons afterwards. Duke suddenly caught his wrists firmly, stopping him from what he was doing. The man, then, proceeded in savaging Yugi's skin with his mouth from neck down to his abdomen, momentarily pausing by the rim of the boy's jeans, then nibbling the loose lock open. Yugi did a sharp inhale. Then Duke just stood up, turning his back, Yugi's wrists still in his grasp. He tiled his head upward as he guided Yugi's hands slowly down his crotch area.

"Shit…" The raven-haired man whispered incoherently into the evening air, as Yugi slowly pulled down his zipper. He pushed his backside against Yugi, feeling the prominent bulk in the boy's pants as he did, smaller hands in his own fastened on his hips. Then he abruptly turned around to face the boy again, snatching his lips in his own in a feverishly deep kiss.

Smaller hands roamed around Duke's back as the man finished his job on Yugi's pants, letting the heavy fabric fall effortlessly down the cold ebony floor. Every piece of clothing on both of them landed aimlessly not long afterwards.

Duke sat on the end of the bed, taking the other man with him. Yugi settled in between Duke's legs, his back facing the raven-haired lad, facing Joey and Bakura who was also in the same position. He blushed.

Bakura grinned at Duke. "Wanna play a game, eh?"

Bottle-green eyes just smiled in return.

Yugi could just let Duke haul both his legs, now completely boneless, on top both of the man's folded ones. He blushed, realizing that he was indeed in front of Joey, so shamelessly spread like that.

Big, bronze hands started caressing the boy's inner thighs, Yugi shivering momentarily at the contact and fisting the bedclothes, while Duke's mouth made a meal of his neck and shoulder.

On the other end of the bed, Bakura's arms wrapped around Joey's waist, sitting him up. Ceremoniously, he sank his jagged teeth unto the curve of the blonde's neck. The metallic taste of blood just seems to fulfill him so much. He put a couple of his fingers inside Joey's mouth, the digits playing inside, the blonde pressing back against him.

Yugi's muscles tensed beneath Duke's fingers as they kept on roaming the other's skin in feathery contact. The boy had already grown impatient with all that teasing, and he gathered some bone to break away from their arrangement to face Duke and claim his mouth. Duke, obliging for a given second, pulled away from the kiss. Yugi's hands held a steady cradle of Duke's face, as steady his mauve eyes' stare into green ones, Duke smiling at the need he saw in them. The boy pushed his kneeling body nearer the other man's heat.

Bakura pulled his fingers from Joey's mouth, tracing it further down his body. Joey could just arch his back, pushing the nape of his neck deep into the other man's shoulder, as he felt the same fingers penetrate his body. Bakura smiled victoriously at the moans that were coming audibly from the blonde's mouth as he thrust his fingers, knowing where to thrust.

The raven-haired man pushed Yugi so that he was facing towards the other end of the bed again. He did not do anything for while, just letting the boy savor the sight of his lover writhe and moan against Bakura's bidding. Yugi let in a generous amount of air, practically breathless and aroused at the sight. His hands unconsciously find their way towards his erect member, but Duke stopped them, only to grab it with his own hands. Smaller hands wrapped around much bigger ones and together they pumped, much to Yugi's favor.

"Open your eyes." Bakura whispered on Joey's ear. But the blonde could not. So the white-haired lad stopped his ministrations to put Joey to focus. "Open your eyes." He repeated. Joey opened his eyes to the display in front of him—Yugi thrusting in Duke's expert hand, his lover obviously having a hell of a time. "Aren't they beautiful?" The pale man whispered wetly again. Before the blonde could even swallow the sight, Bakura's fingers started their work again, snatching Joey in the middle of his thoughts. Bakura's other hand found Joey's arousal and found the same rhythm of his other hand. Joey could just put his hand on the other's nape and press Bakura's face towards his shoulder.  

Anxious fingers reach flowing black hair. He was thrusting wildly against Duke's hand, and the dark man could tell that he was nearing the point of no return. He stopped. Yugi tried to move again, but Duke moved with him, denying him the friction he oh so craved. The taller man pushed Yugi on his stomach down the wide bed with his elbows folded on his chest.

Bedclothes bathed with Yugi's spit as he bit on them when he felt Duke thrust in him…with his tongue. If Duke cherished anything, it would be the unique taste of virginity. He tried to leave as much liquid as possible, loving the boy's tensing muscled around his tongue and the rewarding sound of loud moans for a job well done. He withdrew his mouthing and pulled Yugi by the waist to return him to his previous position. He lifted him up, mauve eyes seizing wide as he felt Duke filling him with his own impressive hardness. All movement completely halted for some tense seconds, letting both be accustomed to the new sensation. Thunder rumbled in Yugi's chest.

"You want him, blondie?" Bakura asked Joey in the middle of their dance. Joey opened his eyes to the new sight in front of him, and it was enough to strangle a groan from his tight throat. Bakura removed every hold on the blonde, and he let him lay on all fours in front of him. Joey crawled towards the other side of the bed, where Yugi and Duke were moving crazy out of their minds.

Joey took advantage of Yugi's neglected manhood and took it in his mouth, the boy's hands tugging hard on his hair as he did so. He sucked as hard as he can on it, trying to take Yugi to the hilt as much as possible and almost gagged but manages anyway.

Duke felt like his hair was being completely pulled off from his head. Yugi was screaming without restrain now. Bakura, not wanting to deny himself, lay before Joey. He gripped the boy's hips and thrust his quivering erection deep within the blonde, then ramming him senseless, not even thinking of slowing down at any rate.

No one was able to even notice Yugi's desperate encouragements as he lost his mind within the constant vibrations of Joey's throat and Duke's drilling straight his pleasure point.

The raven-haired man kept his face deep in Yugi's shoulder to stifle the moans, as Bakura did with Joey. Finally, Yugi screamed his lover's name in elation as he reached his peak, filling Joey's mouth with white-hot lust with the blonde swallowing all of it willingly.

Bakura adjusted his angle slightly before thrusting again. Joey snapped back at his hips harder, his breathing very coherent now, begging Bakura to ride him and ride him like hell. A pained cry escaped Yugi's lips as blood trickled from his shoulder when Duke came inside him, Joey and Bakura following not long after, the blonde arching back to the white-haired man who threw his head back in ecstasy. 

They all fell limp upon each other's limbs, bathing in sweat, the room reeking of the rich musk of sex. Yugi pulled away from Duke, sliding below Joey, the raven-haired man limping by his side, Bakura leaning on the headboard completely. They just stayed like that; eyes closed in exhaustion, letting the storms in their chests mellow until their breaths came out normally again.   

"Not wasted are you?" Duke opened his eyes to Bakura's grinning face. A pale hand settled on Duke's knee as he sat up slightly.

"You're unbelievable." He smiled back.

"What?" Bakura put his face nearer to his lover, his breath lingering on the other's dark lips. "You think I'd just let you get away?"

The raven-haired man chuckled. "No, I didn't."

His pale lover took his lips in his own, Duke putting his arms around Bakura's neck to deepen the kiss. Their tongues play with renewed passion, Bakura's hand roaming on Duke's side. The dark man slid under the other, his Baku-chan ravaging his neck. Bakura pulled away and grinned at Duke. "You call me unbelievable?" He teased, feeling Duke's hardness by his stomach.

"Joey…" Yugi whispered, out of breath.

"Hn?" The blonde muttered against Yugi's neck where his face lay.

"I want you…" The other boy replied, his hand playing with blonde hair.

Joey got up and stared at Yugi's mauve eyes. Yugi got up as well. The blonde lay on his back in front of his lover. "…Go ahead…" He whispered, still not taking his eyes off Yugi.

Yugi whispered his blonde's name as he lay down on top of Joey. "Very beautiful…" He whispered as he stroked the side of Joey's sweat-drenched face with the back of his fingers. He pressed his lips with the other, the blonde's hands stroking his back. Joey then, moved his hips to rub against the other's, awakening their desires once more. Yugi just moaned in Joey's mouth.

"Look at them." Duke whispered fondly. "They're so cute."

"Who cares?" Bakura retorted a bit irritably, nipping at Duke's lower lip.

"I was joking. You're cuter." Duke smiled sheepishly, surprising Bakura by grabbing his cock, with the whitehead cursing briefly as he did.

Duke closed his eyes as his knees push against his chest, hands stroking the back of his sweaty thighs. Bakura leaned on Duke's folded legs, letting Duke suck two of his fingers. He brought the dripping digits out, bringing them to his lover's entrance and plunging them in. He thrust them a couple of times before putting a third finger in, Duke wincing briefly and digging his nails on his lover's back.

"Yours…all yours…" Joey whispered as Yugi pushed inside him. "…ah…Yugi…" He moaned.

Yugi's unruly hair spread by the blonde's neck and shoulder, strands of it sticking to Joey's moist skin. His fingers could almost leave bruises on the back of Joey's shoulders. "…So hot…tight…" He mumbled wetly on the blonde's chest.

Bakura stroked Duke in unison with his thrusting, the raven-haired man gripping the headboard above his head. His breath came out hard with the constant push of his legs against his chest.

White warm liquid spilled on Joey's front as he came. Yugi was obviously talented at this—he didn't even lay a finger on the blonde's member. Yugi came not long after, not being able to contain the tightness of Joey in his orgasm.

A loud growl echoed throughout the room when Bakura came inside his Duke, after his raven-haired lover came in his hand. Duke's dark fingertips turned white against the oaken board. The dark man circled his arms around Bakura's neck weakly as he stretched his legs. Droplets of sweat dripped from the tips of white hair to Duke's face.

The King of Duelists lay limp on top of his blonde lover, still inside him. They stayed like that for some breathless seconds before Yugi pulled out and rolled beside Joey, the blonde huddling close to him. "Gods…" He whispered weakly.

Bakura lay on his back beside Yugi, pulling Duke on top of him. "Ne, I've never had anything like that for some time."

Duke smiled against the pale skin of his Baku-chan's chest. "Did you two have a good time?"

"To hell with that, Duke…to hell with that…" Joey mumbled before finally giving up to sleep. They all joined him not long after.

---

"Welcome back, li'l boy."

"Where's Joey?"

"I thought he came back earlier."

A/N: …speechless sigh Gotta love citrus…what a long lemon…sigh Tell me, did you enjoy that? I realize this chapter did a mood switch every now and then--it's funky, if you ask me. Sorry it took so long. This thing had really been such a pain. Anyway, keep the reviews coming, ne?


	5. And Then There Were Five

…_**And Then There Were Five**_

Joey stood still in the middle of the silence of the rooftop. He stood there, still as the quiet wind played with his golden hair. His fingers settled in between the fence's wire weave, while his eyes stretched through the vast of the blue sky.

He quite missed the school rooftop. Ok, he missed going to school altogether.

"Well, what do you know… the great Joey Wheeler."

The blonde turned to look at the source of the offending tone.

"You finally decided to show up."

He turned back to where he was previously facing, without any reaction whatsoever.

"So, where have you been?"

Joey smirked, his back facing the man he's talking to. "Missed me?"

"As a matter of fact, I did."

Hazel eyes seized wide as their owner was hauled around. The two men were standing so suddenly close, with the man's arms circled around Joey's waist. They just stayed like that, staring at each other's eyes.

The man took Joey's lips in his own, and the blonde never resisted.

"I was right." The man pushed Joey away from him. "You have been bitching around these past few days."

"Fuck you."

"If you weren't, you couldn't have let me do that, could you?"

Joey turned around. "Now's…not a very good time."

"Oh, come on, Joey." The taller man uttered irritably. "Where have you been?"

"Don't push it, Seto."

"I _will _push _it _if you don't spit out right now."

Joey grinned back at the more-than-six-feet-tall Seto Kaiba, annoying the brown-haired man more. "What, have you become someone significant in my life while I was gone?"

"Whatever. Now spit."

The blonde boy spat at his side. "Happy?"

Seto glared at Joey threateningly. "I'm not in such a patient mood right now."

Hazel eyes looked at the other's with such bewilderment. Why was Seto acting so queer anyway? He could have hit him in the face by this time given the circumstance, or kick him around for that matter. He always did. But he couldn't have even asked in the first place! Is the world nearing the apocalypse or something?

"Did you eat something bad this morning?"

The tall man glared for a second, but he gave up the thought and just let out a defeated sigh and rolled his eyes. "I didn't have breakfast." His face was actually amicable for a moment. "Wanna eat somewhere?"

Joey frowned incredulously. "Are you sure you haven't eaten any rotten eggs?"

"No. Now are you going?"

So now Joey, being the too naïve, brain-deficient creature that he is, agreed, sprinting past Seto to the stairs. "What are you waiting for? Let's go!" He said, the thought of a free meal shunning the thought of cutting classes.

_That sure didn't take long, _Seto smirked.

---

_He cut classes again, _Yugi thought to himself as he was walking through the semi-familiar road to Duke's house. He had looked all around for lifetimes around the school, since he hadn't seen Joey since lunch. But, to his dismay, he failed to find him. So, he just figured he'd be back home.

That lazy dog.

He entered the wide lawn, and proceeded to the main door like it was such a normal thing. He arrived at the living room, where surely Duke—who, he thought, doesn't go to class whenever Bakura is around--and his Baku-chan are hanging around.

"Welcome back, 'lil boy." Bakura greeted uninterestedly.

Duke smiled at him. "Where's Joey?" He asked.

A cold flash swept through Yugi's insides. "I thought he came back earlier." He said, uncertainty in his voice.

"Nah. I hadn't seen him since you guys left for school." Bakura muttered as-a-matter-of-factly. "Maybe he got lost on his way back." He smirked. "Stupid, stupid dog."

The raven-haired lad slapped Bakura's shoulder slightly. "When did you last see him?"

"Lunch. He said he had something to do for a while."

"And he didn't come back to class?"

"No."

Duke pondered for a moment, while Yugi made his way beside him on the couch. "Let's just wait here. I'm sure he'll be back soon."

"I hope."

---

Hazel eyes peeled themselves in an unfamiliar place. It was a room, wide as he thought he remembered, but not painted dark all over. He scooted his eyes around…no, this definitely was a different room.

He groaned.

Joey tried to lift himself out of his stupor, but after a brief attempt, he failed. Damn, why couldn't he move? Hell, not even a finger!

He groaned again.

The door creaked open. The door didn't even sound the same as he remembered.

"Good evening." A voice greeted.

The blonde, being the almost-annoyingly childlike person that he is, stopped his vain attempts and stared dumbfounded at the ceiling, not even bothering to think why he was in the situation, how the hell did he get there—he just thought, ok, I can't move, period.

"Seto?"

"Yes?"

"Why can't I move?" He asked innocently, his brain too hazy for any heavy work. Ok, scratch that, for _any _work. At all.

"It's a sedative. You just stay put for a while, ne?" The towering man, acting very queer still, did not bother waking Joey's thoughts up than it is awake at the moment.

"Why am I here?" Perhaps because of the drug, Joey's brain was half-paralyzed. But then again, maybe not.

"Because I don't have any company. And besides, I said I missed you, didn't I?"

The ever-credulous boy remembered how weird his friend Seto acted the previous afternoon. And as always, his thoughts stayed there, at that point in time, no second past. "Why were you acting so queer this afternoon?"

--

_Joey walked spiritedly a bit ahead of Seto along the idle streets of midafternoon. "So, where'll we eat?" _

"_I'm feeling generous today…you pick."_

"_Whoa, Seto. Whatever unknown thing you ate this morning—sure messed you up badly." _

_Seto smirked. "I didn't have breakfast." He repeated calmly. "Where'll it be?" He asked, but before he knew it, Joey had already disappeared inside one of the random doors. _

_The taller man walked calmly to where Joey was already sitting. As if reading Joey's thoughts, he smiled to himself again. "Go choose whatever you like." He said. _

"_Really??" The blonde beamed excitedly and ranted his order to the waiter on standby. After he was through, the attendant approached Seto, who was just amusedly watching his companion. _

"_What would you like, sir?" The person inquired, smiling. _

"_Sake." _

_The waiter paused for a while. "Sir you must be at least—"_

"_Ne, _Kaiba_, what were you saying?" Joey asked the person sitting in front of him, resting his face on the palm of his hand above the table._

_Without any more ado, the waiter scrammed to get their order. As soon as he was gone, Joey flashed a big grin on Seto. _

"_I was gonna mention it anyway." Seto looked outside the nearby window. The afternoon was quiet, the youth were still supposed to be in school afterall._

"_Seto—"_

_The brown-haired lad raised a hand to hush his companion. "Let's wait until the food arrives, why don't we?" _

"_You didn't even order anything!" _

_The attendant returned with his tray, discreetly putting them in their proper places, then bowing before he left. _

"_Itadakimasu!" _

_-- _

Now Seto approached the blonde boy lying supine by the bed—his bed. "Never mind my acting queer." He said, his face hovering a distance from Joey's. "Where have you been?"

"You won't quit asking, would you?"

"No I won't, and you _will_ tell me."

Joey smiled, and if he could turn away, he would've. "Ne, Seto, stop it. I want to go home."

Kaiba's dark cobalt eyes glared. "Where _is _home, Joey?"

The blonde's eyes widened, and Seto smiled at that. Seto's eyes seemed darker than they used to be.

"Why am I here in the first place?" Joey demanded out of the question. "Why _did _you bring me here?" He asked, growing aware by the count because of Seto's unusualness.

--

_Kaiba poured alcohol on his server. He gestured it at the busy-eating Joey. _

"_No thanks. I don't drink." He answered, smiling. _

"_Oh c'mon. A single favor for me." Seto smiled as well._

_Joey pondered for a moment then accepted the offer. He looked at the Seto's ceramic server for a while, and the liquid that swirled in it, dancing gracefully in subtle movements as it glistened in the sunlight. _

"_Go on. It's good." _

_With that, Joey took the liquid and let it slide effortlessly down his throat, not even minding that he drank from the same server as Seto. He then turned to the other man, who was watching him like he was some sort of TV show. He flushed slightly._

"_I didn't know…it's this strong…"_

_--_

"_Answer the question._" The taller man said threateningly. The amicable disposition had slipped away, replaced by rude impatience.

But the blonde was too stubborn. "No." He turned away. "Bring me home."

"Damn!" Seto cursed loudly. "Answer the fucking question!" He ordered, fisting Joey's blonde hair and tilting it against the mattress.

Joey flinched a little. "Prick!" He breathed forcefully, cursing his state at the back of his mind.

To his surprise, Seto let go and smiled angelically, running his fingers on the sides of Joey's face and eyeing him as if he was the prettiest thing he'd ever seen. "Now tell me…" Joey flinched again as Seto's hand gripped his jaws and yanked his face towards his. "…Where have you been?!"

"Fuck it, Seto! You're just a couple of classes away from mine, on the same fucking school grounds—how come you haven't heard of the commotion with the DDD king some days back?"

"DDD King? You mean…"

"Yes, Duke Devlin!"

Seto's sharp, dark eyes narrowed. "And?"

"Don't you know what happened?! Weren't you there?!" Joey shouted hardly, any motor movement still maimed by the cursed sedative thing. "Everybody was there!"

"Just tell it, stubborn bitch!"

"I challenged Duke to a duel and I lost—I was condemned to him for a week."

"What?"

"Fuck you! I'd be a dog—his dog for a week, dammit!" He scorned exasperatedly, memories of that day coming back to recognition, and the tinge of shame still beat in his heart. But something else occupied the rest of it, he knew, because of what had happened as well.

Seto's eyes widened and a wide smile stretched along his face. "So, you'd had _indeed _been bitching around!"

Hazel eyes avoided the glowering figure in front of them. The tall man smiled gently. "Say that for me."

Joey glared, obviously offended. He kept his lips pursed. Even under similar circumstances, his pride was the last thing he'd give away.

A harsh hand slammed into Joey's cheek, turning it to one side, leaving another burning handprint there. Then the same big hand grabbed his jaws and forcefully turned his head to face the owner. "You will say it for me again, imbecile!" Seto tightened his grip, and frustrated tears slipped on the sheets.

A couple of wild heartbeats, dark blue eyes boring deeply into hazel ones, cold sweat.

"Please, Joey, say it for me." Seto smiled, stroking Joey's face with the back of his fingers. Then the tall man closed his eyes.

Joey, completely dumbfounded, just uttered the words unconsciously, never taking his bewildered eyes off the other man. "I…had been…bitching around…"

Seto opened his eyes with a horrified look on his face, his blue eyes seized wide open. "You have…?" He said, a tearful expression in his face. "With whom…?"

"Duke…"

"Duke Devlin?"

"…And his lover…" Words were pouring from the blondes mouth like saccharine syrup…he didn't know why he was admitting all of that, he was all too confused with all that is happening and all he's feeling. Who is this person anyway? Why was he so suddenly scared of him?

"Lover…?"

"Ryou Bakura."

The brown-haired lad seemed to have stopped breathing for a while, then he let out a loud, pained scream, like he was just pierced with hot steel. He gripped his head and started going berserk like a wild beast, screaming and thrashing until he fell onto the ground.

Seto managed to get up on his knees, using the bed as leverage. He was smiling, a very demented smile as he looked at Joey with bloodshot eyes. The blonde was shaking in fear. Seto's actions are beginning to really freak him out now. Big time.

The tall, brown-haired man was chuckling as he tried to stand up to his feet, his eyes shot wide. His very wide smile bared his teeth, and his hair was messed on his forehead, his hand spread over half of his godforsaken face.

"What is happening to you, Seto…?" Joey managed to cough out despite the large lump in his throat. His numbness and immobility was fading away by the count, but he was all too paralyzed in fear.

"You know, Wheeler, you're nice." The tall man uttered, still smiling. "Maybe a little _too_ nice."

Before Joey knew it, long fingers were already wrapped around his throat. He tried to pull off Seto's large hands, but he was still too weak against him.

"S-seto…let…go…" He choked out, pressure starting to form up his face. "…Can't…breathe…"

And to his surprise, the man let go. "That was nice, wasn't it?" He smiled.

"Damn you…you've lost it, man…" Joey inhaled deeply. He choked for a second.

Weak arms tried to fend off large forceful ones that were ferociously trying to rip his clothing away from him. He was scared, he was lost, he didn't know what to do, he didn't even know what was happening.

_Seto…_

_---_

10:00.

It was late.

Way too late. And Yugi was getting way too anxious by the second.

"Maybe he just decided not to come back." Bakura uttered indifferently. "You know… you said he can go anyway, right?"

"He told me he'd stay for a whole week." Duke defended with firm resolve. "It was a deal."

"Don't you think we should go look for him?" Yugi's voice was slightly trembling, and his hands were getting colder.

Duke eyed Yugi with almost the same worry, noting his tension. "What do you think, Bakura?"

"Well…" The white haired man was far from wary. "I think Joey's a big boy. Don't you think he can take care of himself already?"

Yugi fidgeted. "Well he could've let me know at least." He reasoned, as if he was in the middle of self-battle.

Bakura raised an eyebrow. There was an evil glint in his eyes. "Unless…"

"Stop it." Duke sounded very serious to his lover for once.

Both of Yugi's hands clasped with each other as he bowed his head low, his overwhelming thoughts and mixed feelings already forming at the corner of his eyes. _Could Joey have-- _

"Yugi, don't think about those things right now." The raven-haired lad flashed a quick threatening glare at the tall pale man sitting beside him, before putting a hand on Yugi's shoulder. "I'm sure Joey would never—"

"Would he really never?"

"Look, Yugi. Trust is something you owe Joey."

Bakura gave out a snort out of nowhere. "Ok, ok, I'll help find him."

Duke raised an eyebrow, a small smile at the corner of his lips. "We should call his house first. If he's not there, we're gonna go look."

---

"Good evening, sir. Is Tea there?"

"Ah, Yugi. Would you like to come in?"

"Thank you, but we're in a hurry."

"I see. Wait a second."

… … … …

"Yugi! What's the problem?"

"Sorry to bother you this late hour, but I'd like to ask you something about Joey."

"Why, what happened?"

A shadow appeared beside Yugi, his gleaming green eyes almost luminous. "He's gone missing. No calls, no whatsoever."

Tea raised an eyebrow, infuriated. She could actually vividly remember the other day's incident, where she had seen pain and humiliation in her friend's eyes like she never saw before, as he knelt in front of this man. "You bastard." She hissed.

A startled gasp escaped the girl's throat, as a foreign face suddenly covered her sight. It was the tall white-haired man, his eyebrows furrowed, and his lips crumpled into a nasty frown. "Who you callin' bastard, eh, kitten? He's helping lil' boy find your friend, can't ya see?" He growled.

"Bakura, please." Duke spoke calmly, prioritizing whatever needs to be done at the moment.

"Missy here is making me want to rip her eyes out."

"Calm down. I can tell you if I want her eyes." Duke smirked. "But right now, we need you to answer." He turned to the poor girl who was already trembling with Bakura's beastly ways.

"Tea, please." Yugi pleaded.

"Well…he…I…"

"Ryou, go apologize." The raven-haired boy commanded quietly.

"Why do I have to?!" Bakura rasped.

Again, Duke's face displayed hard, serious stone. "I am not asking you. Ryou, please. She's scared out of her wits."

And with a brief growl, the angelic Ryou Bakura turned to face Anzu with an apologetic smile on his face. "I'm really sorry about Bakura, Tea. I beg your pardon for his manners. It won't happen again." With the last words, Bakura, the darker shade of his pale, returned.

And Tea was plainly dumbfounded. And conscious, at the least.

"Thank you, Ryou." Duke said plainly, then turning to the girl.

"Ok…so Joey…I saw Joey sprinting towards the main hall while I was out. I just came from the washroom when he almost bumped into me. I asked him where he was going, he said he's eating out. I tried to stop him, but…"

"But what?"

--

"_Hey, Joey. Where you going?"_

"_Eating out." Joey happily answered. _

"_We're not supposed to go out of campus before dismissal." Anzu frowned, speaking in scold-like manner. "You know that, don't you?"_

"_Well, maybe we just have to break the rules." The tall person walking behind Joey spoke coldly, arrogantly. _

_Anzu couldn't believe what she was hearing. "Are you serious??"_

"_Go ahead, Joey. I'd be there in a sec." The man smiled at the blonde. He turned back to the girl, and smirked. "Oh c'mon, you know me." His words were overflowing with sarcasm, the type that could tick Tea off in an instant—so ticked that she would leave it alone. _

"_Prick!" She exclaimed, stomping out of his face. _

_--_

Tea looked away. "Seto was such a prick."

Yugi's mauve eyes flew wide. "He was with Seto?"

"Well, yeah…"

---

Bakura sniffed. And sniffed. Duke and Yugi followed.

"Here." The white-haired man pointed to a door beside him. Only a few people were inside. The other two men hurriedly entered the room, discreetly nevertheless, and the raven-haired man walked ahead.

"Excuse me sir, did you notice a tall man with brown hair visit here earlier this afternoon? His name's Kaiba. Seto Kaiba."

Of course everybody knows the name. Oh, the fame, the power.

"Yes, sir." A waiter who just happened to pass by and overhear the conversation answered. "He came in with a blonde boy."

Yugi was getting more anxious, if he could get any more. "What time did they leave?"

"They haven't even finished their food, sir."

"And do you happen to know why's that?" Duke asked, knowing that Joey leaving his food alone would be way too abnormal. If he said or shouted anything at least before they went. Or something.

"The blonde boy passed out, sir."

Cold sweat formed on the King of Duelists' forehead, his eyes darkened with worry. He was too fretful for words.

"What, he hit him or something?" Bakura snarled from behind Duke.

"I'm not sure, sir, but they ordered sake."

"He's underage." Duke said ominously. This conversation was getting way too…disturbing.

The waiter fussed. He just happened to glance at Bakura who was absentmindedly fondling with his sharp fangs with his tongue, while idly looking around the place. "But he's—he's Mr. Kaiba, sir!" He stammered.

That, Duke could do nothing about. Afterall, the Kaiba Corporation was the largest and most famous company in the area, which makes Seto more powerful than he seems to be.

"Thank you very much." Yugi was totally disheartened. His worry was getting the better of him. He proceeded to vacate the restaurant, and Duke, followed by his lover just calmly followed.

"Yugi, don't you think we should ask Seto?"

"Yeah, I think we should." Bakura seconded.

---

Yugi took the courage to grip the two iron knobs and turn them. The doors made faint squeaking sounds as they parted.

Fallen bodies marked their trail through the wide and winding halls of the Kaiba mansion. None of them even knew what shot them down, left to marvel the stealthy prowess of Bakura in their unconsciousness. It's their fault anyway for not considering Duke's mannerly request to see the master of the house.

The moment the King of Duelists got a grip of his sight, he was shot immobile. Raging cold flashes seized his whole body. He wanted to shout, but he was too weak to do so. He was too shocked to do anything anymore, even breathe.

Duke's voice echoed through the chilly air as he brushed past Yugi towards the interior of the room.

There he was, Joey Wheeler, lying on his chest with eyes closed in the middle of the bed, ugly bruises visible on his bare flesh. There was a sea of crimson staining the white of the bedclothes, the origin of which was beneath Joey's hand that was lying face down, a silver dagger with a golden handle pierced cruelly through it.

Yugi's body was visibly quaking. He approached his Joey on where the boy lay. He looked at him with such horror, more over when he tried to touch the gleaming wedge, then he found out he had not the heart to do so. He glanced at the blonde's face, his cheeks stained with shades of angry red, the expression of his face as empty as it was pale. Finally, he mustered the strength to pull out the knife, slowly, watching as blood gushed out.

Duke and Bakura's eyes widened the moment the dagger was removed. It dematerialized, taking with it the wound, leaving only the blood and the dread.

Even Bakura had a hard time looking at Joey. He'd known him enough to like him as he is, afterall. But then, something caught his eye.

"Yugi." Duke called to the mauve-haired boy softly. Yugi turned to look at him, slowly, devastated. He approached where he stood, and tried to see what he was trying to point.

Seto Kaiba. Lying, naked, on the floor beside the wall, a trail of blood running through his chiseled face and through the wall. But there was something else. In his chest, written in blood, were symbols. Symbols Yugi never knew, but he somewhat recognized. And, below them, barely readable, was the word "refuse".

Duke's sharp sense caught the intensity of Bakura's face. This, he rarely, rarely saw in this man. Since Bakura was that apathetic kind of guy, moreover when it comes to others. Ah, right. Joey was not one of the others anymore.

"Let's…bring him home." Bakura said, as if he ran out of energy.

"Of course we would." Duke responded while he assisted Yugi in fixing up the still unconscious Joey. He turned to look at his lover. "Bakura—"

As if he didn't hear the raven-haired boy, Bakura just went on and picked up Seto in his arms and lay him beside Joey on the bed.

Yugi shot a hot glare at the unconscious Seto, offended, his fists balled in infuriation. What kind of blind moron would not know what had happened? He didn't say a word anymore, though.

"Him?" Duke asked, puzzled.

"Yeah." The white-haired man answered.

"This is _his _house, Bakura." The raven-haired lad's tone was somewhat accusing. Like his was trying to rub off insanity.

Bakura didn't say a word, but he looked at his lover, rarely serious, as if telling him he is indeed sane and that he _was _serious.

"Let's go."

--

"_Damn you…you've lost it, man…" Joey inhaled deeply. He choked for a second. _

_Weak arms tried to fend off large forceful ones that were ferociously trying to rip his clothing away from him. He was scared, he was lost, he didn't know what to do, he didn't even know what was happening. _

Seto…

"_I got to teach you some manners." Seto proclaimed forcefully as he was pulling Joey's clothes off. "Not to slut with anyone behind my back."_

"_Fuck you!" Joey struggled._

"_Stop moving and spare yourself the energy. You're gonna need it." _

_Hot tears streamed out of Joey's eyes in anger. He looked at the evil-looking Seto, slightly trembling in anger and fear. He didn't quite well get it – why was all of this happening? He looked at those gleaming dark cobalt eyes…and saw hell. _

_The blonde boy mustered the courage he got to throw his fist straight at the taller one's face. It hit, and hit hard. Seto was forced to step backward. He glared at the boy lying on the bed. "You imbecile! You even have the courage to hit me when you are at my mercy?!" _

"_Mercy your face." Joey scorned. "I'm at nobody's mercy." _

"_You still have that pride." The tall man smiled evilly. "Now I'm gonna have to teach you to know your place as well." _

"_That place is never beneath you." The other replied hardly. _

_A harsh hand once again slammed on Joey's cheek. Nerves showed on Seto's already flushed skin. "You could talk as much as you want…but that ain't gonna change my mind, Joey Wheeler." _

"_Who said I wanted to change your mind? You can violate me but you can _never_ have _me_, Seto." _

_Seto growled. He was pissed off, alright. He walked away to the corner of the room, leaving Joey on the bed. Joey, meanwhile, cannot stop the tears. He knew he couldn't do anything, and he just wished that Yugi was with him right now. Damn he was so stupid. It was all his fault in the first place. And he would be so dirty…maybe Yugi wouldn't love him anymore after this. No…_

_The tall man came back, hiding one hand behind his back. "I've got a gift for you, whore." _

_Joey looked up at Seto with now empty hazel eyes. Seto forcefully flipped him to his chest with one hand. He lay one of Joey's hands beside the boy's head face down. The blonde flinched a little as Seto yanked his hair to turn his head towards that hand. _

"_Watch closely, ne? You're gonna love this." _

_A pained, strangled scream echoed through the room as silver blade pierced through Joey's hand, and tears formed anew on the corner of his eyes as he watched the blade slide through his flesh. Blood spread on the white sheets. _

_Seto licked his lips. "Ah…I like that." He smiled, his hands wrapped around the golden handle. "Won't you thank me?" _

"_Damn…you…" Joey huffed out in between groans. The pain burned unexplainably and spread through out his whole arm, and through his whole body. He was trembling as he saw more blood gushed out. _

"_Imbecile. Did your parents teach you any manners at all?" Seto breathed indifferently. "It's a gift, bitch, and you didn't thank me for it!" He shouted, enraged. Then, his face turned calm again, and he smiled gently. "Now I have to teach you to say thank you when somebody gives you a gift." _

_Joey's eyes widened, not able to see Seto in his position. Then, before he could realize anything, he closed his eyes and let out a agonized scream once more as the blade slid deeper into the mattress until the rim of the handle reached the back of his palm._

---

Tears formed in the corner of Yugi's eyes as he watched the peacefully sleeping Joey. He brushed a lock of hair from his forehead and touched the blonde's cheek, gently rubbing his thumb over the smooth, pale skin.

_What have you done to deserve all this?_

Hot anger suddenly raged inside him, and he felt the familiar urge that kept on bothering him for quite some times now.

The urge to go to the next room. The room where Seto Kaiba lay unconscious as his Joey was. To go to that room and do anything he can to just _harm _that man. He cannot explain it either. And that rage burning anew inside him was just as great as his thankfulness that Duke and Bakura were just joking when they said this house only has one bedroom. If they were all in the same room right now, things could have gone ugly ages ago.

Why did Seto do such thing? They've known each other for quite some time now, and yes, he was a big prick to everyone _especially_ him, but no, not like this.

And was he, Yugi, the reason why Seto did this to Joey?

Since ever since, Joey had been a nice guy, even to Seto. Even if he would push him around. What could Joey possibly have done?

These thoughts made him very tired. After a lifetime of questions, he fell asleep, holding Joey's cold hand in his own.

---

Was that Joey?

Yugi lay still and tried to wake from his stupor. He thought he just felt something move. He lifted his head to look at the boy sleeping on the bed.

Shit.

Panic arose inside Yugi. Joey was not there.

He quickly stood up, paused and collected his thoughts. Joey was definitely there before he closed his eyes. He looked outside the window, and behind the curtain, he knew it was still dark, maybe a very early hour in the morning.

The King of Duelists glanced at the bathroom. Empty. He silently but briskly vacated the room. He went downstairs, to the living room, the kitchen, still no signs of Joey in the still quiet. He ascended back up the stairs.

And stopped.

Fuck.

He contemplated for a while.

_What if…_

He proceeded to the room beside theirs, briskly, hesitantly. He opened the door.

"Joey!" He gasped, anxiously quiet.

Joey was there, standing very still beside the quietly sleeping Seto, looking at him with empty eyes. Empty eyes that were streaming with tears.

Yugi literally ran towards the blonde boy, wrapped his arms around him and turned him around. Joey fell to his knees and Yugi just continued to hold him. After a very short while, the smaller boy looked at his lover's face.

Sleeping.

--

_Sounds of agony forced their way out of Joey's throat and through the ears of the man who was fondly watching him. That man, Seto, was smiling as he watched pain torment the blonde boy lying spread on his bed. _

_The tall man walked to the bed, bent down to Joey and placed a gentle kiss on his cheek. "You look so beautiful, Joey." He whispered. _

_And Joey could hardly answer a coherent word. _

"_Shhh." Smiled Seto. "I'm not through. Not just yet." _

_Hazel eyes widened. Joey just tried to keep his body as still as possible, trying to prepare for whatever havoc could befall him. And he expected the worst, even worse than the hell he's burning in at the moment. _

_And before he could even contemplate about what it could be, it came. _

_The other's impressive girth rammed forcefully inside his body and pushed his whole frame up the bed with its force. Again, he let out a loud scream of pain. His hand was searing more painfully now, having been pushed through the sharp blade, and a wide trail of crimson flowed anew. And obviously, it hurt down there, moreover because he was not a bit prepared. _

_He felt the pain. The pain. The hatred spread inside him, and still, confusion whirled in his mind, and it intensified that pain, that vile darkness. It tore him apart. _

_His head was turned to the side of his wounded hand, and he just stared at it. Stared and stared at it as the pain repeated itself on him, degrading him with every blow. The large hands that tightly gripped his shoulders and its fingers that seemed to penetrate his flesh grew more and more eager every second, like they wanted to tear his flesh apart. Tears blurred hazel eyes. He just let it come. He cried all the pain as he resentfully embraced it. He wanted to scream, but he was weak. _

_Seto was just not too happy about it. He wanted Joey to scream, to beg for mercy. But no, this boy just lay still and accepted the inevitable. It did not deter him at all, as a matter of fact because of it, he wanted this boy to hurt more. Even more._

_Teeth sank unto Joey's bare shoulders before he felt Seto got up. His face merely twitched in pain. Maybe all of it was just too much…and maybe he was just growing numb of it. The air got colder and colder. _

_Joey could not help but bury his face in the mattress as one of Seto's huge belt buckles slammed his back. He bit his lip as it was repeated again, and again. _

"_Now, Joey, why so quiet?" _

_The blonde boy turned his head to the side once more. He smiled, such a pained, bittersweet smile. "Whatever pleases you, Seto." He said. "I gladly submit to it." _

"_Imbecile!" Seto growled. _

"_I tried to fight, you got angry. Now I'm not, you're still angry. Just tell me what you really want, master. Anything." _

_The smile was still there. So empty and bitter. _

_Joey's words were dragging. Even his eyes were now half-shut. He was too tired, too spent, too hurt to even recognize. Even if he died, he could have barely noticed. Or maybe death would have been a lot better than this. "Why are you doing this, Seto?" _

_But the tall man just answered with more ill-treatment, cursing in between gritted teeth. He wanted to Joey to hurt. To bleed. To scream and beg. And he didn't want to stop until he gets what he wants. _

_The blonde boy's sight was already dimming. He felt his consciousness slipping away with every blow he was receiving, and he could tell it wasn't going to be long until he'd finally break. _

"…_I…give…up…"_

_---_

"Is there something bothering you, Bakura?"

A dark, gentle hand rested on Bakura's pale chest, soothing and undemanding. True, Duke didn't demand any explanation from Bakura, nor did he ask any question since they got home a couple of days ago. Though he didn't understand why his lover brought Seto Kaiba home, he didn't ask, because above all of it, he felt Bakura's unusual anxiety and he was more worried of it than anything else.

And Bakura could never deny that he knew Duke very well, and so is the other way around. Why Duke never pried, he knew. But…

"Nothing, Duke. Maybe I'm just tired."

And Duke always left it at that.

---

Blurry.

Cobalt blue eyes opened to the dark of the room. Dark and blurred. He tried to get up, and he felt like his head was splitting open. He touched it, and felt bandages wrapped around it.

He looked around, and realized the place was smaller than what he remembered. Even the window was not where it used to be.

Where in the seven hells was he?

He stood up and found his way around, barefooted. He turned the knobs open. Still dark. And his head still hurts very, very badly. It took some immobile time there by the door, before his vision stopped whirling.

Seto gripped everything he can in order to keep himself straight. He held on to the staircase rails tightly while descending it, trying to scoot his eyes around for anything. After a lifetime of careful, slow steps, he found himself in the living room. It was a wide room. There, on the 4-seater leather couch lay a blanketed form, and another one lay on the floor beside it.

_Huh?_

As he was walking towards the couch, the person lying there got up and raised a finger to his lips. Long black hair and luminous bottle green eyes. Seto didn't recognize him at first, but he did eventually.

"Duke Devlin? Is that you?" He squinted his eyes for a better look in the dark.

"We're not in school. Just call me Duke. Or master, if you prefer." He winked. "Finally, you're awake."

"Since when was I here? Why am I here? Who—"

"Slow down, honey. I didn't bring you here." Duke pointed to the man sleeping wearily on the floor. "He did."

"Who's he?"

The black-haired man smiled, and gently peeled the blanket from the person's face.

Seto stared at the sleeping man. Seems he recognizes him…but he doesn't know this person. He just stared at him blankly, without word.

"Why? Don't you know him?"

"No."

---

"Good morning, Yugi."

The King of Duelists opened his eyes to the sweet, smiling face of Joey Wheeler. The blonde boy was playing with a lock of Yugi's hair while he was asleep.

"Morning." Yugi smiled back, his eyes blinking slowly from just-sleep. "You're so cute."

"Yeah I know."

He touched his face, staring fondly at his hazel eyes. He would gladly be used to wake up like this. "Feeling ok, Joey?"

"Yeah. Much better." Joey closed his eyes and just let Yugi touch his face. He was so glad to be back here with him.

The smaller boy is still a bit worried for his lover, but he was glad that Joey was helping himself too. Seeing the blonde boy smile made him very happy, and he could almost forget it.

"I wonder if Seto's awake now." Joey thought aloud, his lower lip pouting a bit.

Yugi could just look at Joey with sadness in his wide, mauve eyes.

"Don't worry, Yugi. I'm all ok now." The blonde smiled.

But Yugi was never convinced.

Joey had finally woken up the day before, and he had plenty of time to catch up. Yugi, Duke and Bakura stayed with him until he felt better. Well, Bakura just sat beside him silently, but he's still there anyway. He had appreciated Yugi's presence most of all—he didn't think he would still be there after all that happened, but he is, and that was almost enough to bring Joey together.

And Seto…there he was, in the other room, still in deep slumber.

"Are you sure?" Yugi asked, apprehensively.

"Yup." Joey answered cheerfully. "Now get up. I made you breakfast."

Yugi let out a quiet laugh. "Shut up, Joey. I know Duke cooked breakfast."

Joey laughed.

---

The quiet sound of silver in motion filled the morning table.

"Good morning." Duke greeted. "Breakfast." Bakura just made a small gesture, which probably means likewise.

"How are you feeling?" Joey asked, smiling.

Yugi kept his lips pursed, still unable to look at that person without wanting to hurt him.

And Seto, Seto could not say a word either. He just sat the empty chair beside Duke, in front of Yugi; picked up his silver and ate. Why Duke set an extra place in the table, no one asked. The raven-haired man hasn't told anyone Seto already awoke the previous night, and Duke just egged him to rest until morning.

"Bakura, why so quiet?" Joey asked innocently. Of all the days they ate in the same table, Joey never saw Bakura act this queer. He was eating silently, _neatly, _today.

Bakura acted as if he hadn't heard anything.

"Heyyyy" The blonde boy kidded, in an attempt to cheer the whitehead up.

"Joey." Duke smiled at him. "Look at Bakura. He looks miserable, doesn't he?"

"Yeah."

"We'll make him look more miserable later."

Joey blushed.

"It's your last day here, after all."

"Is that so?? It has been a week already?"

"Yup."

Seto still had no idea what he was doing here, but pretty dumbfounded, he was. He knew these men, but their relationships confused him. He did not dare ask, wary to move in unfamiliar territory.

"So, Seto, how was your sleep? Did you rest well?" Yugi asked.

The blonde boy looked at him worriedly, sensing the sarcasm and bitterness in his lover's words.

"Fine. Thank you." Seto answered quietly and without tone.

"Well deserved. I assume you had a nice dream."

"Not quite."

"Why so? You seemed pretty satisfied before you went to sleep."

Bakura turned gaze on Yugi.

"Pity your room was messed up badly that you had to sleep here."

"Yugi." Bakura called, in an effort to stop the boy.

"Joey's feeling better now, too." Yugi glared at Seto Kaiba, who was now just staring blankly at his plate.

The blonde boy held Yugi's hand, with his bandaged own. There was no wound, but it still hurt a bit. "Please, Yugi."

Seto saw Joey's hand, and he stared at it. Flashes. The brown-haired lad held his head tight as he felt the searing pain inside. He saw the flesh, the sheets, the blood, the wall, the darkness.

"Seto, are you alright?" Duke asked apprehensively.

"I…I didn't…" Seto muttered in between gasps. "…No…stop…" He stood up and edged away from the table. His hands were still desperately clawing his head when he stumbled down. He scurried into a corner and stayed there, muttering the same words as he rocked himself.

Of all people, Bakura stood up and went to where Seto sat, knelt, took him in his arms and tried to hush him up.

Duke turned to stare at his plate instead, his eyes beginning to blur.

The silver were clenched tightly in Yugi's shaking hands.

And Joey was almost as mad as Seto was right then.

---

Duke sat alone on the corner of the wide black bed as he stared at the glass windows, his arms and legs gathered near him. The sky was a dull amber.

Seto came back to his room this morning and stayed there. The other three were left downstairs.

He was convinced that Bakura loved only him. But eventhough, he can't help but feel jealous with that Seto. He'd never seen his lover act like that to anyone, not even him. Suddenly being all quiet and serious and everything that totally wasn't him—who is this Seto anyway? Who is he in the life of his Baku-chan?

Then he remembered.

Could Seto be one of Bakura's flings? But Seto doesn't even know, or recognize, Bakura.

How could that be?

Can Bakura possibly have feelings for this person who doesn't know him at all?

He can't seem to think of any explanation. But definitely, after all that he'd seen these past few days, he's feeling bad about it. He's feeling totally, totally bad about it that now, he doesn't want to talk or see anyone.

After he saw that little scenario in the kitchen this morning, he couldn't help it. And Bakura wouldn't tell him about it at all.

What was happening?

Knock, knock.

"Leave me alone."

"Duke? Please open the door."

Luminous bottle-green eyes widened, having recognized his lover's voice. "What do you want?" He managed to say, a little insecurity playing at the back of his mind.

"I know what the matter is. Please let me in."

---

Sigh.

Joey silently smiled, there, lying on Yugi's lap on the bed, the boy's hands raking his blonde hair gently. Duke huddled to Bakura at the foot of the bed.

Damn this idleness.

A little more and he could very well get used to it, so used that he'd not want to be anywhere else that here, in the comfort of these young men, idle.

It's amazing how he learned to appreciate the quiet stillness in just a week.

"I hate being idle, don't you?" Duke, suddenly, thought aloud.

"Not really." Joey answered innocently, closing his eyes and breathing deeply.

"I'd rather prefer otherwise." Bakura grinned, pulling slightly on Duke's ear. "I suppose…"

Yugi stared knowingly at the two. "Don't you think someone's not in the shape for un-idleness?"

Duke laughed. "Oh c'mon, Yugi, you're no fun." He said, waving his hands. "He needs to have his blood moving. And besides, look at him. He's…just _look_ at him."

"Yeah. Making sure he lives up for his name…a dog. A lazy one, but a dog nevertheless. Just look at that recovery." Bakura chuckled, for the first time in seemingly such long a time. "And after all, we need to make sure he has good circulation."

They all laughed at that.

Joey inched up a little so he could look at the lovers on the other end of the bed. "Then come and get me, you horn dogs." He chuckled.

"Could you at least respect my presence?" Yugi raised an eyebrow in fake offense, attempting to hide a grin.

The blonde got up, ruffled Yugi's spiky hair and pulled him for a playful kiss. "Honey, you need exercise."

---

Sigh.

Seto stared at his crossed arms, his feet huddled close to himself as he sat silently in one corner of 'his' room.

Damn this idleness.

But for now, he has no choice. The pain in his head returned when Yugi said the things he said in the dining table this morning. He didn't know, but shivers ran up his spine, and his guts felt like turning over. If he went out again…he just didn't want the pain to come back.

He doesn't know what time it is, how long has he been there, or whoever the hell people were wondering where he is. He felt…lost. He wanted to demand his clothes and go, but somewhere in the back of his mind, a voice was telling him not to. Why? He does not know, but he was willing to find out by staying.

Laughter.

Was that really…laughter, that he heard?

_Uh, I must be hallucinating again, _he thought.

After a few moments, the laughter reverberated again.

He thought for a moment, then realized that it may be from the other room. _They're laughing, huh? _Resentfully, he broke his stare at the adjacent wall.

What was he feeling so bad about anyway?

Just to fill in his curiosity. Wouldn't hurt.

---

"He heard us, alright." Duke said softly, winking.

Joey giggled.

Yugi made a slight upset face.

"Loosen up, li'l boy. You got plenty 'o reason to."

The upset face deepened. _What exactly did he mean by that? _Yugi thought.

Knock, knock.

The raven-haired lad stood up and opened the door, just a gap enough for Seto to see him. "Oh, what a surprise." He said, with no look of surprise in his face at all. Maybe a little sarcastic, with one brow slightly raised, and a foxy smile on his lips.

"Uh…I was just wondering…" Seto cursed at himself. Why was he stammering anyway? He could just ask…but he couldn't seem to look straight to the man he's talking to. He felt…awkward, being smiled at like that. Well, kinda.

"What's the fuss all about?" Now the smile on Duke's face turned sweet, like telling the taller one to just relax. "Wanna come in?"

"No…thank you…I just—"

"Ok." The other answered right away, and posed to close the door, but stopped halfway. He smiled again. "Just kidding." Then he pulled the dumbfounded Seto in.

A jaw almost kissed the floor.

Yugi was sitting by the headboard, with Joey's head on his lap. Bakura was on all fours on top of the blonde boy. He didn't even bother…uh, fix himself when he greeted the visitor.

"Hey there."

"Uh, hi." The tall man answered back, still unknowing how to react.

Joey pouted. "Did I look as stupid as that when I first arrived here?" He whispered to the man on top of him.

"Nah." Bakura gave the blonde's lips a lick.

The blonde smiled victoriously.

"I didn't see you when you first saw me and Duke. Couldn't say."

"Yugi, he's bullying me."

"As if he can do anything."

"Shhh." Yugi hushed the two men in front of him, his neck extending to see above Bakura's head and to the sight behind it.

Duke was going at it again. He must be that…

Hospitable.

Yes. Maybe that's it. And there was a very amused smile on the black-haired boy's face right now, seeing Seto's reaction. Perhaps he wanted to do things for amusement, that's why he does what he does. After all, he is what he is, and those who liked him liked him for it.

"What's the matter, Seto?" Duke asked as he inched nearer the taller man.

"Why's he here?" Yugi asked, trying to play with the game. As Bakura said, he should at least loosen up. And for some reason, Joey's acting towards this man seemed to convince him a bit, even if he didn't clearly see the reason.

Duke turned to Yugi. "He wanted to know what we're doing. Maybe we woke him up." A wink, then he turned back to Seto. "Am I not right?" He breathed into the man's face.

"Ne, Duke, just get it over with." Bakura bellowed.

The green-eyed man chuckled, eyes still pasted to the dark cobalt of Seto's eyes. "I'm sorry. He's very impatient." He said, his tone very liquid, trying to get as close as possible to the other, which was very close. Too close for comfort.

"Ok then…I'm going back now." He said, feeling awkward and taking a step back.

A blush crept on the brown-haired man's face, his dark blue eyes widening as Duke took his lips in his own. After a brief moment, a whisper. "Could you stay…let's see…a little longer?"

"Ok he agrees so take off his clothes now and come over here." Bakura grinned at Joey, and Joey gave out, again, a chuckle.

Seto blushed.

Yes, the world is not ending, he blushed. They all saw it, especially Duke, and this fueled the glow on his lime green eyes, which, fortunately, makes Seto blush more, adding to everybody's amusement.

"Oh come on - _he's_ going to join _us_?" Yugi, again, faked the mockery to add to Seto's feeling of nervousness.

"Join where?" The brown-haired boy asked, uncertainty in his voice. Not uncertainty of what the previous statement meant, but uncertainty of what he wanted to do about it.

"Just be quiet." Duke said, cupping his mouth over Seto's. His tongue tried to snake through the brown-haired boy's pursed lips, and Seto unconsciously obliged, his own tongue meeting the other's inside. Duke tried to move gently so as not to receive any resistance due to shock, but gave out more passion as Seto's muscles tensed beneath his hands.

A graceful bronze hand settled at the back of Seto's neck, and another tried to worm its way inside Seto's robe. That hand roamed Seto's chest in feathery contact, lower, but stopping short on the brown-haired boy's lower abdomen. Seto was already moaning in Duke's mouth.

Duke, with much experience and delight with first-timers, sucked on Seto's tongue, afterwards nibbling at the corner of the other's mouth, then moved lower to Seto's chin, his neck, pulled the man's robe sleeves down to work on his shoulder, bending down to his chest. Seto unconsciously raked his hand in Duke's untied hair.

"Ne, Bakura's getting jealous." Joey teased, pulling Bakura in the ear.

"Oh shut up." The white-haired lad retorted. Then he let out a deal of teasing, "Look at your li'l boy. Seems he's enjoying himself immensely," he said.

The blonde looked up to Yugi, who was unblinkingly watching Duke induce Seto. Joey rolled his eyes. Yugi doesn't even seem to give any attention at all to his and Bakura's conversation.

"See?" Bakura nibbled on the blonde's ear, licking and sucking it. Joey closed his eyes, enjoying the treatment. Pale hands crept down to Joey's pants, tugging it and trying to open it single-handedly. The blonde boy got that hand, and brought it up to his mouth, then sucked a finger.

"Could I undo you?" Joey asked sheepishly.

Bakura was a bit shocked of this, used to being the active half most of the time. "Sure."

Duke's hand moved down from Seto's nape to his backside. Cobalt eyes opened, surprised with the touch. The raven-haired lad got one of the other's from his hair, put it beside his face and cradled to it. He gave his palm a brief lick, before looking at Seto again.

Bottle green eyes smiled at dark blue ones. Seto's lips stretched oh so slightly to a little smile. Duke untied the other's robe, quietly marveling at his prowess that was proved by the evident bulk below that knot he was working on. The robe effortlessly fell to the floor, revealing Seto's toned body, and his very alive member.

"He's happy to see me." Duke smiled slightly, eyeing it. His eyes not tearing away from Seto's manhood, "Hi, nice to meet you." He grinned.

Seto chuckled. His hands settle on Duke's shoulders, caressing the other's arms and settling on his hips.

"Go ahead. It's getting tight."

Bakura sat up, Joey straddling him. The blonde pulled up the whitehead's shirt and tossed it to the floor. Slightly, he pushed Bakura down on the bed and worked on the buttons of the man's pants. After a short while, he pulled them off together with the man's boxers and again, threw it to the floor. He bent down to the man lying on the mattress on all fours.

"Heyyy." Yugi blurted out. "How about me?"

"Mine." Bakura stuck out his tongue on the boy.

Joey claimed Bakura's lips, violently, thrusting his tongue inside the other's mouth, the white-haired lad not refusing at all and playing with the foreign appendage with his own tongue. The blonde pulled off and proceeded in licking Bakura's body in one single line as he traveled down to his crotch. He gave its tip a naughty lick, running the tip of tongue through it length, then planting kisses on Bakura's thighs.

Long, pale legs circled around Joey's neck, feet clamping together down Joey's back. The blonde took Bakura inside his mouth and sucked with all his might.

"Shit." Bakura closed his eyes, bucked his hips up, shocked with Joey's choice of movements.

After going down a couple of times, Joey got up, licked his lips and wiped the spit off his chin with his arm. His eyes widened a bit when he felt Yugi behind him, the boy's hands around him. Yugi pulled Joey's shirt up and kissed the boy's shoulder, before working on the blonde's pants. Joey pressed his body to the man behind him, to the warmth of Yugi's bare body, to the press of his aroused cock on his backside.

"Yo." Duke greeted, hand in hand with Seto, before he laid the taller man on the bed. "Having a good time?"

"Damn…blondie learns quickly." Bakura grinned.

"Yugi?" Joey called, now lying on the bed beneath his lover.

"What?"

"Could you kiss Seto?" He smiled mischievously.

Before Yugi could disagree, Joey put on his best puppy dog eyes. "Please? For me?"

The King of Duelists gave out a defeated sigh. As he crawled on where Seto lay, Duke rubbing their hips together, he thought, _I'm loosening up, right? _He convinced himself. More and more, as he watched Duke and Seto's display a little earlier, he realized that the uneasy feeling in the brown-haired boy's presence was melting away, moreover as he saw him smile a couple of times.

Yugi bent down to Seto, whose eyes are closed in elation, and placed his mouth over the other's. And Seto, being in a state like that, kissed back more ardently as he released his approval of Duke in Yugi's mouth.

"Hey blondie." Bakura whispered in Joey's ear. The white-haired man managed to get Joey to sit on the edge of the bed. Bakura went to Duke, muttered something, and came back dragging Seto along with him. He got Seto on all fours on the floor facing the sprawled Joey.

"Go ahead. Joey's waiting." Bakura urged Seto to take Joey in, the blonde eyeing at them and their arrangement that aroused him all the more. Who wouldn't be aroused is Seto Kaiba was down on all fours before you?

Seto hesitated for a moment. He just closed his eyes to take the uneasiness off, and took Joey in his mouth anyway. He tried to take it as far as he can, which was very far, and Bakura just amusedly watched them. The white-haired lad decided to take it a step further as he inserted a couple of fingers inside Seto, causing the brown-haired lad to fire up. He was now moaning in Joey's hardness, sending maddening vibrations to it and through the whole of Joey's body, all the while bucking his hips backward to meet Bakura's digits.

Joey threw his head back and fell back to the bed, his hands weaving in Seto's hair, not being able to control himself any longer, moreover after watching the brown-haired boy's mouth fill with his member. Yugi took this as a chance to take Joey's lips, bending down from above the blonde. Joey circled his arms around Yugi's neck, deepening the kiss. And Duke, of course, could not stand there and neglect himself. He went down to Bakura on the floor and behind Seto, Bakura giving way for him. He, then, gripped Seto's hips and pushed his weeping cock inside the man, rapid thrusting following not so long after.

And Bakura had his eyes on the last remaining prey left to take. Yugi.

He climbed to the bed and positioned himself behind the boy who was still on the rabid liplock with his lover. And Bakura was no gentle—or even considerate—person. He, abruptly, rammed his aching shaft inside Yugi, hitting his pleasure center with accuracy, without thought of going easy or slowing down a bit. He leaned down the boy's back, the boy meeting his thrusts with the same rapid succession, his pale hands seizing Yugi's abandoned hardness and pumping it with the same rhythm as his hips, making Yugi snap back to him harder. Yugi's lips broke away from the blonde's to make way for the urgent moaning and urging cries that were escaping his throat.

"Faster…harder…" He pleaded.

And with all that begging that filled their ears, Duke was persuaded to rock Seto all the harder, his own incoherent niose now unrestricted as well, thus urging the man to suck harder on Joey. Seto brought up a hand to help himself, but dissatisfied, he took one of Duke's hands from his hips to his arousal. Duke willingly obliged him, stroking the man inside and out in the same cadence, his thumb momentarily fondling the shaft's tip.

Yugi let out one last loud groan before leaking in Bakura's hand, and with his muscles in spasm, it got tighter and tighter for Bakura's hardness that it pushed him to his own fulfillment. Joey came in Seto's mouth not long after Seto's strong moaning and sucking. Seto swallowed it all. Duke threw his head back in his orgasm, his grip on the man's hips almost bruising, and his last fast thrusts pushed Seto all the more to his peak and spurted his essence in Duke's hand.

Heaving breaths.

Duke climbed up to the bed just as Bakura was withdrawing from Yugi, and the raven-haired lad just threw his arms around his Baku-chan weakly. Yugi fell to the bed, and Seto's knees collapsed as well. He just leaned on Joey's thighs, resting his head on the blonde's stomach.

"Damn all…of you beginners…" Duke muttered breathlessly, grinning.

"Am I still considered beginner?" Joey asked, a smile on his lips as he panted. Yugi ruffled his blonde hair.

Bakura just shook his head in between breaths.

"Hey you. Come over here." Joey pulled Seto by the arm as he mounted the lower half of his body up the bed. Seto managed to clamber up as well, and lay his wearied body beside Joey's.

Silence.

"That was better than the last." Joey uttered, turning over to his side to face Seto. He brushed a lock of hair fm his sweaty forehead, and gave him a peck at the cheek.

Dark cobalt eyes just stared at the blonde absentmindedly.

Joey was a bit startled when a finger poked at his back. He turned over to his other side, only to catch Yugi pouting _big _time. The smaller boy had the most pathetic puppy dog eyes as he pointed at himself.

"Oh Yugi…I'm sorry." The blonde imitated the pout and gave Yugi's head a pat.

The three laughed quietly.

Now Joey turned over to face the ceiling, sighing happily.

_It will just fade…and I didn't even know. But I don't care._

He whistled. "But, seriously, Seto." He glanced at the man beside him who was staring at him. "That was not bad for a first-timer. Not bad at all." He grinned. Seto blushed. "Ne, Bakura, who do you think's better between the both of us?"

No answer.

Joey got up a bit and peeked behind Yugi, where Bakura is. And blushed.

"Do you two ever get tired?"

And with that, Yugi and Seto both looked at where Joey was looking.

Duke laughed. "Not quite." He answered. "How about you, Bakura?"

Bakura, who was then on top of Duke and working on the man's neck, halted and looked at them, a puzzled look on his face. "What?"

"He asked us if we ever get tired, baka."

"Hm." Bakura looked up to think of an answer. "We do…but not of each other. 'Course not." Then he got back to work.

Yugi looked at Joey, and smiled. "How about you, Joey, do you ever get tired?"

The blonde returned the smile with a wicked one of his own. "Not tonight, no."

"And you, Seto?" He asked again, and Joey smiled to himself at that.

"A bit. But not really."

So Joey straightened out, gave his lap a couple of taps so as to tell Yugi to mount himself there. And so, Yugi got up and straddled Joey's lap. Seto just watched them.

A finger played by Yugi's lip, and the boy opened his mouth a bit, trying to give that finger a little more space to fondle with. Joey's finger traced at the other's lower lip, his own lips mimicking how it is slightly opened. He licked his lips, and put his finger in Yugi's mouth. He got his hand back and licked the same finger.

Yugi bent down to kiss Joey's lips, Joey putting his tongue out for convenience. They shared a tongue-dance for some moments, before Yugi got the chance to attack Joey's exposed neck. Joey's fingers roamed Yugi's back, making shivers run through his whole body. The same fingers crept to his back side and momentarily played by the boy's cleft, but then moved lower to the back of Yugi's thighs. He stretched them out so that Yugi was lying on top of him. Then, he bucked his hips against the other's, rubbing their cocks together, and reawakening passions as he did so. Yugi buried his face on Joey's shoulder and let out sighs and moans of approval as he moved as well. The seed that was dripping from their now erect members added more to the wonderful friction.

Then, abruptly, Joey grasped Yugi's arms and pushed him up, forcing Yugi to fold his legs once more.

Duke was lying on all fours on the mattress, Bakura behind him. The white-haired man's mouth traveled through Duke's lower back, and down to his backside. Duke thrashed his head up on all directions, writhing madly, folding his arms so that he could push more to that skillful tongue. Throaty urgings and moans made their way past his lips.

"Do me good." Joey said, his head turning to Seto, who, by now can't help but touch himself. "Can I help you with that?" He smiled, his finger playing at the side of his mouth.

Duke tried to stretch out his arms as Bakura stopped his ministrations. He leaned over Duke's back, grabbing the man's quivering arousal, fondling the tip with his thumb, then afterwards bringing that finger to his mouth. "Wouldn't trade this for anyone else's in the world." He muttered, before shoving his own erection inside his lover's body, earning him a loud moan in reply.

Seto glanced at the two men beside them before sitting by Joey's chest. "You sure?"

"Just shut up." He said, grasping Seto's length and licking its tip which was as far as his tongue could reach. Seto then leaned over to give the blonde better access, his hands gripping the headboard. Meanwhile. Yugi had his shaft in, and the blonde's legs circled around his waist in reciprocation. Joey moaned, and it made Seto close his eyes. Using the headboard as leverage, Seto thrust himself inside Joey's mouth, the blonde sucking him willingly, circling his tongue as Seto pulled backward.

Duke's mouth was opened wide, a sound accompanying every thrust. He tried to keep his arms straight, though he was weakening in pleasure. He brought one hand up to his mouth a bit his knuckles to lessen the sounds he was making, but Bakura, sensing that he did so, snatched the arm away and put it where it was. He didn't want Duke to restrain himself, as he, himself, was starting to slip away from his sanity. He'd done it plenty of times before, but Duke never failed and bore him even a bit. He gripped at Duke's hips and thrust deep and hard, if it can get any harder than that. The raven-haired boy brought a hand to his arousal, stroking himself in unison with Bakura, but his lover already had that in mind. He removed Duke's hand from where it was, and replaced it with his own. He pumped Duke with all the passion burning inside him.

As Yugi did with Joey. He rammed without constraint, knowing that Joey would want it that way, his rhythm accompanied by his hand that was expertly handling Joey's manhood like it was his own. Joey's hands were on both of Seto's thighs, gripping hard, as he was moaning loudly and swallowing hard at Seto's pre-come. Joey's legs tightened their clasp on Yugi's waist, as Seto's grip tightened on the headboard as his movements became more and more feverish, his hips moving faster and faster, Joey's mouth and tongue driving him nearly insane.

Two pairs of knees collapsed simultaneously after a couple of hard thrusts, both men coming at almost the same time in each other. They both land on the mattress, as tired as hell, but as satiated as ever.

Joey swallowed every single drop that came from Seto, giving it one final suck before the brown-haired boy drew himself out of Joey's mouth and rolled to his previous place. Joey came and Yugi followed closely, Yugi's head falling on Joey's chest as he let go of him and pulled out of his lover,

And again, the room was filled with heavy panting that could only emanate from one truly satisfied night. Joey's lids are getting too heavy for him, and he closed his eyes to slumber. Yugi took him in his arms and closed his eyes to drift off as well. Seto threw his arms around the blonde boy and posed to sleep as well.

Duke, meanwhile, huddled close to his Baku-chan, the white-haired lad automatically circling his arms around Duke. They both closed their eyes to rest, a smile prominently seen on Duke's lips.

"Damn all you… scrawny…beginners." He muttered.

Bakura chuckled weakly. "Well, for one…they do have talents…"

"N."

"Goodnight, dear."

"'Night."

---

"I knew it."

"You got my letter?"

"Go away. You don't belong here."

"But I belong…with you."

**A/N: ** AKEMASHITE OMEDETO MINNA-SAN! HAPPY NEW YEAR, HAPPY NEW CHAPTER!

Sorry if it took so long. Twas not so easy to write…with that change in mood and all what a pity that I only got to unleash my naughtiness in the lemon. This chapter…took a lot of my…energy… need…to…sleep…

Lol. I gave a deadline to myself to finish this. If I don't finish it 'til new year, I won't sleep until it's finished. So, here, it's almost dawn, and I gotta sleep now. Sorry if it's barely comprehensible. It sucks in my opinion, not exactly my quality but not the lemon coz I'm a shameless hentai right now, but only because it goes with the last chapter which is coming soon. Hopefully everything will be clear by then, and hopefully I can be more ecchi then so I can write another good orgy …six men…how can I do that…?

You'd review for this sleepless fu-fu, right? Domo…arigato… zzzz


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